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Key Points Lists 17 richest Dancing With the Stars pros, ranked by net worth. Top spot goes to Kym Johnson, largely due to her husband's wealth. Many pros leveraged DWTS exposure into business ventures and media careers. Dancing With the Stars has featured more than 50 professional dancers in its 20 years on the air, many of whom have become just as famous as their celebrity partners — and in some cases, just as rich. While a pro’s paycheck isn’t huge by Hollywood standards (reports suggest salaries top out at around $100,000 per season, though ABC has never confirmed that figure), the exposure the dancers receive through the show is invaluable. Keep reading for a run-down of the richest DWTS pros (past and present) ranked by net worth. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 17 Richest ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Pros, Ranked By Net Worth (From Lowest to Highest) Note: This list represents every dancer listed on Celebrity Net Worth. It’s possible some dancers not listed there deserve a spot here, but for consistency, we relied on a single source for all third-party data. Witney Carson’s Net Worth: $300,000 After competing on So You Think You Can Dance in 2012, Carson joined Dancing With the Stars Season 16 as a member of the troupe. She was promoted to pro during the show’s 18th season (2014), at which point she was paired with Australian musician Cody Simpson and eliminated in Week 5. She fared much better the following year, when she competed with Fresh Prince of Bel Air icon (and future DWTS co-host) Alfonso Ribeiro. The two took home the Mirrorball Trophy in Season 19, marking an impressive victory for Carson — then a series newbie going toe-to-toe with such seasoned pros as Derek Hough. She remains on DWTS to this day, although she sat out Seasons 29 and 32. Related: ‘DWTS’ Host Alfonso Ribeiro Opens Up About the ‘Year That Changed My Whole Life’ (Exclusive) Keo Motsepe Net Worth: $300,000 Born in Pretoria, South Africa, and raised in Johannesburg, Motsepe began dancing at age 5, enrolled in dance school shortly thereafter, and started competing as an amateur dancer. He went on to become an eight-time South African Latin Dance Champion, then broke new ground in 2012 as the first South African to join the famous Burn the Floor world tour. Two years later, he blazed another trail, becoming the first Black professional dancer cast on DWTS. Alas, after nine years on the show, with partners including Chaka Khan and Jodie Sweetin, he was not asked back for the 30th season. “While it’s disappointing to not be back for Season 30, I’ve been honored to be on the last nine seasons of the show and look forward to returning in the future,” he said at the time. Emma Slater Net Worth: $300,000 Slater is currently celebrating her 20th season on Dancing With the Stars, making her one of the most seasoned pros on the series (she started out as a troupe member in 2012 and got promoted to main player the following year). The British-born dancer, who was touring internationally with Simply Ballroom by the age of 16, has competed alongside celebs like James Van Der Beek, Reginald VelJohnson and her current partner, Andy Richter. She got her first and only win (so far!) in Season 24, with former NFL running back Rashad Jennings. Dancing With the Stars aside, Slater has also enjoyed an impressive career as an actress: She appeared in the film adaptation of Mamma Mia! and has performed on London’s West End on multiple occasions, including in a production of Dirty Dancing. Peta Murgatroyd Net Worth: $400,000 Murgatroyd made pro in Season 13 and was a mainstay on the show through Season 32, although she went on a handful of hiatuses over the years, including when she was pregnant. (She shares three children with her husband, former DWTS pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy.) After giving birth to her third son in 2024, she announced that she’d be taking a break from the show. “I’m sorry,” she said. “…It’s just too soon.” In addition to being a mom of three with two Mirrorball Trophies under her belt (she won in 2012 with Donald Driver and 2016 with Nyle DiMarco), Murgatroyd is the founder of the sunless tanning line Peta Jane Beauty. “[I]n many ways, my career as a dancer shaped the vision for the brand,” she told Haute Living in 2025. “I knew firsthand what wasn’t working, and I was determined to create products that performers, professionals, and everyday people could count on to look and feel confident.” She also launched a podcast, “The Penthouse With Peta,” in which she interviews reality stars, in September 2025. It’s unclear whether her listed net worth reflects any combined assets she may share with Chmerkovskiy, but it seems unlikely given that his net worth is reportedly $8 million. Lacey Schwimmer Net Worth: $1.5 Million Schwimmer, who debuted on DWTS Season 7 (2008) with partner Lance Bass, has dance in her blood: Her father is famous swing-dancer Buddy Schwimmer, and her brother is Benji Schwimmer, winner of Season 2 of So You Think You Can Dance. (She was a finalist on the show the following year.) Her run on DWTS lasted through Season 13 and included partners Steve-O and Chaz Bono. But despite her multiple high finishes, she never won the coveted Mirrorball Trophy before her time on the ballroom floor was up. Sharna Burgess Net Worth: $3 Million These days, you can catch Burgess on “Oldish,” the podcast she co-hosts with fiancé Brian Austin Green and his Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Randy Spelling. But from Seasons 16 through 30 she was a pro on DWTS (with the exception of Season 28, which she was not asked back for despite having won the Mirrorball Trophy with Bobby Bones in Season 27). Although Burgess voluntarily sat out Season 31 to spend time with her newborn son, the Aussie dancer did so with the intention of returning for Season 32 — only she wasn’t invited back, yet again. “I realized when those spots were all filled, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I didn’t get the call,'” she shared on the premiere episode of her podcast, referring to the decision as a “huge shock.” Her last partner on the series was Green, and they were the third couple to be eliminated. Tony Dovolani Net Worth: $3 Million Dovolani began dancing at the age of 3 in his native Pristina, Kosovo, before his family moved to the U.S., where he trained at the Fred Astaire Dance Academy in Connecticut. He made his debut on DWTS in Season 2 (2006), paired with model/actress Stacy Keibler, but didn’t take home the Mirrorball Trophy until many years later, in Season 15 (an All Stars edition), with Bachelor alum Melissa Rycroft. He ended his run on the series after Season 22, with Donald Trump’s ex-wife, Marla Maples. “When I decided to quit, nothing major happened; it was just a buildup of things where I just said, ‘I didn’t sign up for this,’” Dovolani later explained on Hollywood Life’s podcast. “For babysitting, maybe, a little bit. Some of these celebrities, or reality celebrities, I should say, they sometimes … they have an idea of what they think they are and who they are, and they didn’t realize that I wasn’t there to deal with them. I was there to teach them how to dance. So, when it becomes about other than teaching them how to dance, I want no part of it.” His partners over the years included Kate Plus 8 star Kate Gosselin and Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes, among others in the reality realm. Related: ‘DWTS’ Champ, 42, Facing Jail Time After Shocking Arrest Mark Ballas Net Worth: $4 Million Ballas, whose father is renowned ballroom champ Corky Ballas, has spent 20 seasons and counting on DWTS, starting with Season 5 (2007). His run on the show has been far from linear, though — he took breaks during Seasons 23, 24, and 26 through 30. His return in Season 31 marked his third time winning the Mirrorball Trophy, which he took home with social media star Charli D’Amelio. (He also won with Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson.) Ballas then announced his retirement from the show during the DWTS Live 2023 tour, telling the audience it would be his “last dance” in that capacity. Still, he returned for Season 34. Cheryl Burke Net Worth: $4 Million Burke started dancing ballet as a little girl, but switched to ballroom dancing by age 11 — a move that ultimately set the stage for her long tenure on DWTS, which began in Season 2 (2006) and lasted through Season 31 (2022). She took home the Mirrorball Trophy right out of the gate with singer Drew Lachey, then won the very next season with former NFL star Emmitt Smith. Announcing her exit from the series not long after her high-profile split from actor Matthew Lawrence, she said in part, “This show has been my 2nd family since I was 21 years old. The cast, crew & fans have seen me through my highest highs & some of my lowest lows, & I honestly don’t know who I would be today without them. I also know that it is time for me to begin the next phase of my career, although dance will always be a part of me.” Although she’s expressed interest in returning to DWTS as a judge or mentor, she’s so far only made a guest appearance at the judges’ table in this year’s Halloween episode. Related: Cheryl Burke’s Relationship Status and Why She’s Been Celibate Since Her Divorce From Matthew Lawrence Artem Chigvintsev Net Worth: $4 Million Chigvintsev started out on the UK version of DWTS, Strictly Come Dancing, before joining the U.S. show, first as a troupe member in Season 18 (2014), then as a pro in Season 19. He stuck with the series through Season 32, with one win in Season 29, when he was partnered with Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe, but wasn’t asked to return for Season 33. In 2024, his now ex-wife and former DWTS partner, Nikki Garcia, with whom he shares a 5-year-old son, accused him of domestic violence (Chigvintsev denied the allegations and was never charged). In court documents obtained by the Daily Mail, he claimed his arrest caused him to lose more than $100,000 in income. Unrelated to that complaint, Garcia was ordered to pay him $200,000 in their divorce settlement. Allison Holker Net Worth: $6 Million The So You Think You Can Dance alum was a pro on DWTS from Season 19 through Season 23, although she sat out Season 22 due to pregnancy. DWTS aside, she was married to the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss, who died by suicide in 2022. She wrote about their relationship in her 2025 memoir, This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light. Karina Smirnoff Net Worth: $6 Million Smirnoff joined DWTS in Season 3 (2006) and appeared in 18 seasons overall, leaving the show after Season 22. (She sat out Season 20 to publish her debut book, We’re Just Not That Into You: Dating Disasters From the Trenches.) Although she came close to winning in the Mirrorball Trophy in her first year on the show, placing second with partner Mario Lopez, she didn’t actually nab the top prize until about halfway through her tenure, with J.R. Martinez in Season 13. She now teaches masterclasses around the world while raising her son, Theo, born in 2020. (She’s chosen to keep the identity of his father private.) Valentin “Val” Chmerkovskiy Net Worth: $7 Million Chmerkovskiy first appeared on Dancing with the Stars in Season 2 (2006) as a guest performer alongside his brother, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, but didn’t officially join the pro cast until Season 13 (2011). He’s gone on to become one of the show’s most celebrated pros, known for his romantic flair and charisma, and of course, his outstanding choreography. He’s also taken home the coveted Mirrorball Trophy twice — first in Season 20 with actress Rumer Willis and again in Season 23 with Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez. Beyond the show, Chmerkovskiy co-owns dance studios across the country and tours with his family’s Maks & Val Live productions. Maksim “Maks” Chmerkovskiy Net Worth: $8 Million Chmerkovskiy is one of Dancing with the Stars’ most iconic pros, cast in Season 2 (2006) and credited with helping shape the show’s competitive edge. After many near-wins over the years, he finally took home the Mirrorball Trophy in Season 18 (2014), with Olympic ice dancer Meryl Davis. More important than any win in the ballroom, however, was the connection the show gave him to Peta Murgatroyd, who joined the series in 2012. The pair had previously met in 2009, on the Broadway production of Burn the Floor, but after reuniting on DWTS, they struck up a romance that led to marriage and three kids. Chmerkovskiy officially left the series after Season 25 (2017) to focus on other business ventures, including his chain of dance studios and his family’s live tour. He recently made waves as a guest on his wife’s podcast when he said that DWTS’ newly minted pro, Jan Ravnic — a former backup dancer on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour — was not qualified to be on the show. “Jan has absolutely no business being a pro on Dancing With the Stars,” he said. “There’s zero foundation, technique, quality, understanding of the partnership. It is absurd. This is unreal — how blind we have to be to not say what’s obviously there.” He’s since apologized. Related: Who Is Jan Ravnik? Get to Know the Taylor Swift Backup Dancer Who Joined ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 34 Derek Hough Net Worth: $8 Million It’s not an overstatement to call Hough the most successful pro in DWTS’ history: He won the Mirrorball Trophy a record six times. (His partners over the years included Brooke Burke, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Grey, Ricki Lake and Bindi Irwin.) Although he left the pro lineup after Season 23 (2016) to pursue other projects, including World of Dance alongside Jennifer Lopez and Ne-Yo, he returned in 2020 with a spot at the judges’ table. DTWS aside, he’s now the host of Extra and continues to headline his own dance tours. He’s also expecting his first child with wife Hayley Erbert. Julianne Hough Net Worth: $12 Million Hough signed on for DWTS in Season 4 (2007) and immediately made her mark, winning back-to-back championships with Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno in Season 4 and race car driver Helio Castroneves in Season 5. But she was only a dancer on the series for four seasons — she left in 2009 to focus on her acting career, starring in movies like the Footloose remake, Safe Haven and Rock of Ages. She returned to the show as a judge in 2014, then exited again three years later, only to come back in 2023 as co-host, alongside Alfonso Ribeiro. Related: Julianne Hough’s Relationship History: From Her Age-Gap Romance With Ryan Seacrest to Her Divorce From Brooks Laich Kym Johnson Net Worth: $100 Million Johnson started out on Dancing with the Stars Australia, where she became a fan favorite before joining the U.S. version in Season 3 (2006). She remained a fixture on the show for more than a decade, pairing over the years with Jerry Springer, Joey Fatone, David Arquette and her future husband, Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec, whom she married in 2016. His net worth is a reported $600 million, which certainly contributes to Johnson’s wealth and explains her top spot on this list — but that’s not to take away from her personal success on DWTS: She won the Mirrorball Trophy twice, first with entertainer Donny Osmond in Season 9 (2009) and again with NFL star Hines Ward in Season 12 (2011). She left the show after Season 24 (2017) and welcomed twins the following year. These days, she’s focused on establishing herself as a TV and film producer. “I’ve always believed it’s never too late to grow, evolve, and learn something new,” she shared on Instagram earlier this year, announcing that she has a dance-themed Christmas movie in the early stages of development. “It’s never too late to pivot your career or follow a new dream.” It’s unclear what the status of that project is today, but one thing’s certain: Johnson can afford to fund it herself!
