Netflix’s latest sports documentary America’s Sweethearts gives an inside look into the Dallas Cowboys cheerleading squad. While being a Cowboys cheerleader might sound like a dream job for many, there’s a not-so-glamorous side to it, particularly when it comes to remuneration. However, cheer director Kelli Finglass’s net worth would suggest she’s paid a rather handsome fee.
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It’s a tough gig with long hours and exceptionally high standards, as Finglass indicates during the film. She’d know the business of being a cheerleader better than most, too. Finglass was on the squad from 1984 to 1989 and was appointed assistant director to the DCC from 1989 to 1990. A year later, she earned the title of Cheer Director in 1991 and has held that role since.
Inside Kelli Finglass’s net worth
Kelli Finglass’s net worth is $1.5 million according to Celebrity Net Worth. It’s in stark contrast to the wealth of cheerleaders, who often have to work two jobs to survive. (There’s no publicly accessible information on Finglass’s salary as cheer director, but we’d estimate it’d be in the six figures.)
How much do Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders make?
Dallas cheerleaders earn about $15-20 per hour or $500 per game on average, which equates to around $75,000 a year. Taking the cost of living in Dallas into account, that’s pretty low—one economics report found that more than $90,000 was required to live “comfortably” in most U.S. cities in 2024.
“Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are on the highest end of that [NFL cheer] pay scale,” America’s Sweethearts director Greg Whiteley told Glamour. I’ve heard horror stories of what a typical NFL cheerleader [makes], but I think the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders fall into a new category. None of them are rich. None of them are getting paid a ton, but it isn’t the same dearth of payment that I think other NFL cheerleaders have to experience.”
Indeed, ESPN reported in 2017 that cheerleaders “barely make minimum wage,” earning somewhere between $75 to $150 per game. That pay structure, of course, ignores the many hours of practice required to prepare for said game appearance.
