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Cheryl Burke has not publicly confirmed how much she was paid for her final season of Dancing with the Stars. When asked about widely repeated figures for professional dancers, she called them “ridiculous” and “so off,” said the real amount was higher, and declined to give a number. The available reporting therefore does not establish her exact final salary.
What Cheryl Burke said about her DWTS pay
In a Money Rehab interview transcript, Burke was asked about reports that professional dancers started at $1,600 per episode and veteran pros could earn about $5,000 per episode. She rejected those figures, saying, “That is ridiculous. It’s higher. That’s all I’m going to say.” She also said the reports were “so off.”
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Those amounts were figures raised by the interviewer about online reporting, not verified pay figures. Burke did not disclose her own rate, total compensation, or final-season contract. The transcript is hosted by Podscripts; the quoted wording is attributed to Burke there.
How the reported salary figures differ
Published estimates concern professional dancers generally, use different pay periods, and are not equivalent to a confirmed salary for Burke. They should not be treated as interchangeable or as proof of what she earned.
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| Source and date | Figure reported | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Money Rehab transcript, date not stated in the cited material | $1,600 per episode for a starting pro; about $5,000 per episode for a veteran | Figures put to Burke in the interview. She disputed them; they do not establish her pay. |
| International Business Times Australia, September 2020 | Veteran pros could earn up to $5,200 per week | A historical estimate for pros generally. The article said exact professional paychecks were unknown and contracts were renegotiated each season; it does not establish Burke’s season 31 salary. |
| BollywoodShaadis, October 2025 | $5,200 per episode and roughly $100,000 per season for experienced dancers | A later repeated estimate, explicitly not officially confirmed. It does not disclose Burke’s compensation. |
The estimates vary in both unit and amount, and none is a confirmed figure for Burke. Her own response is the most direct evidence in the cited coverage: she said the figures she was asked about were too low, but did not say how much higher her pay was.
When Burke left the show
Burke announced on November 20, 2022, that her final performance as a professional dancer would be in the season 31 finale the following day. ABC News quoted her describing the decision as “one of the absolute hardest decisions of my life” while saying she was confident it was right. Entertainment Tonight and TVLine also reported her departure.
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Her tenure is counted differently across coverage. Burke and several outlets described it as 26 seasons; ABC called it 25 seasons as a pro. These are different descriptions of her career length, not evidence about her pay.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why she chose to step away
In an October 2022 interview, Burke said leaving was likely after 26 seasons and described how difficult it was to say goodbye. She said her body was telling her to stop, and that wanting children was not the reason for her decision. She wanted to accept uncertainty and move forward, according to Entertainment Tonight.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteAt that point, Burke said roles such as correspondent, host, or judge were possibilities under discussion—not confirmed appointments. The interview does not establish that she took one of those roles or what any future work would pay.
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- Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC
- Language: English
- Region: Region 1 U.S. and Canada only
- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
- Video Run Time: 51 minutes
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