Jenna Johnson Reveals ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Pay Structure

Jenna Johnson is offering up some behind-the-scenes details about Dancing With the Stars.

The dancer, who made her debut on the ABC dance competition in 2012, opened up about how the pros are paid each season during Monday’s episode of The Morning After podcast with Kelly Stafford.

Despite taking home the Season 33 Mirrorball Trophy alongside The Bachelor‘s Joey Graziadei, Johnson told Stafford that there is no cash prize for winning the season. “Whoever makes it to the finale, you all get paid up until then,” she said, adding that “you do get a nice bonus” for finale night.

When Stafford then asked if pros who are eliminated during the first couple weeks of a season don’t get paid, Johnson explained, “You’re guaranteed until a certain amount of weeks.”

She continued, “I think there’s different contracts, so I can’t speak for everybody. But, if you make it all the way to the end, you’re getting paid the whole season, which is amazing. And you get a bonus on top of that for making it to the finale. If you win, it’s not like you win a million dollars and split it with your partner. You’re just getting a cute trophy together.”

It’s been reported by multiple outlets that pro dancers on DWTS earn a starting salary of $1,200 to $1,600 an episode, but that their pay can increase to a cap around $100,000 per season.

Johnson has made it to finale night numerous times in her DWTS tenure, taking home the win with Olympian Adam Rippon in Season 26 before going on to come in second place in Seasons 29 and 30 with partners Nev Schulman and JoJo Siwa. Last year, Johnson finally took home her second Mirrorball Trophy with Graziadei.

When it comes to partners, Johnson was clear during Monday’s podcast that the pros have no say in the celebrities with whom they work. “They really want to keep it a secret until you meet them live. They want that genuine reaction,” she said. “I think people always think we know who we have and we’re keeping it a secret. Absolutely not. They do not tell us.”

She continued, “They really don’t even want us to know the cast. It gets leaked a lot, but they want it very hush, hush, until you walk in and you meet your partner.”

Dancing With the Stars returns for Season 34 this fall on ABC.