How Much Does the Average WWE Wrestler Make?

Many people are curious about how much WWE wrestlers make. While salaries can vary, the average WWE wrestler earns a good wage. Read on to learn more about WWE salaries and how much the average WWE wrestler makes.

Salaries of WWE Superstars

Like any other entertainment business, WWE salaries are based on a variety of factors. The amount a wrestler is paid can depend on their experience, their popularity, their win/loss record, and more. In general, WWE superstars make a good living. The average salary for a WWE wrestler is $500,000. However, the top performers can make significantly more than that.

Main Eventers

The main eventers are the top wrestlers on the card and usually wrestle in the main event match of a show. They are the ones who get the most screen time, have the best matches, and are considered to be the faces of WWE. The main eventers are also the wrestlers who make the most money.

Wrestlers who are considered to be main eventers can make anywhere from $500,000 to $5 million per year. The top wrestlers in WWE, such as John Cena and Brock Lesnar, make more than $5 million per year.

Upper Midcarders

While the average WWE wrestler salary may seem like a lot, the top wrestlers make far more. The top tier wrestlers earn salaries in the $1-3 million range, while a select few earning over $5 million per year. The highest paid WWE star is currently Brock Lesnar, who is contracted to make $6.5 million in 2018.

Midcarders

Midcarders are the wrestlers who are not quite main eventers, but are still featured prominently on WWE programming. They often compete for secondary titles and are given more time to showcase their in-ring abilities than lower-card wrestlers. Midcarders typically earn higher salaries than lower-card wrestlers, but they are still below main eventers in terms of pay.

Lower Midcarders

WWE superstars who are considered to be “lower midcarders” typically earn an annual salary of $500,000. While this may seem like a lot of money to the average person, it is actually a relatively low salary in comparison to what some of the top WWE superstars earn. For example, John Cena, who is considered to be one of the biggest stars in WWE, earned a reported $10 million in 2016.

Jobbers

Jobbers are lower-card wrestlers who are not featured prominently on television and are used mostly to lose matches. While their salaries are not publicly disclosed, it is believed that jobbers earn much less than WWE’s main event superstars.

Bonuses and Incentives

While it is true that the average WWE wrestler does not make as much money as some of the other professional athletes out there, they do have the potential to make a very good living. The key to making good money as a WWE wrestler is to be able to bring in a consistent audience and to have good matches.

Pay-per-view Bonuses

WWE pays its wrestlers a base salary, as well as extra money for appearing on television and pay-per-view events. Bonuses are also paid out for merchandise sales and main event status.

Wrestlers are classified as either “superstars” or “divas.” Superstars are the men who compete in matches, while divas perform in skits and matches with other women.

Merchandise Sales Bonuses

In addition to their base salary, wrestlers receive a percentage of merchandise sales that feature their likeness. The amount they receive depends on their position on the card. The top stars can earn up to 10% of the revenue generated by the sale of merchandise featuring their image, while mid-card performers typically earn between 3 and 5%. Lower-level wrestlers and those who are part of tag teams or other groupings usually earn just 1 or 2% of merchandise revenue.

Main Event Match Bonuses

Main event matches are the top matches on a WWE card, typically involving the biggest stars on the roster. These matches often have championship titles or number one contender spots on the line, and as such, WWE considers them to be more important than other matches on the card. Because of this, WWE offers Main Event bonuses to wrestlers who are featured in these matches.

While the exact amount of these bonuses is not publicly known, it is believed that wrestlers who participate in Main Event matches can earn anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per match. The precise amount depends on a variety of factors, such as the importance of the match, the length of the match, and whether or not the match ends up being a “main event” (i.e. featured prominently on WWE’s flagship TV programs).

Win/Loss Bonuses

In addition to basic salary, WWE performers are often given bonuses for winning matches. These are typically given out for Raw and SmackDown matches, with the amount increasing if the match is a higher-profile one, such as a championship bout. These bonuses are not guaranteed, however, and are not always paid out.

Other incentives are occasionally offered as well, such as a “performance of the night” bonus given to the wrestler(s) who put on the best match at a live event. These types of bonuses are also not guaranteed and vary from night to night.

Income from Outside Sources

WWE wrestlers make a good living from their salaries, but many of them also make money from outside sources such as sponsorships, merchandise sales, and media appearances. The amount of money a wrestler makes from these sources can vary greatly. In this article, we’ll take a look at how much money the average WWE wrestler makes from outside sources.

Independent Bookings

WWE superstars are free to take independent bookings, although WWE does have the right to approve of the events and will not allow their talent to compete at certain shows or for certain promotions. Independent bookings can be a good way for WWE superstars to make some extra income, but it is not as common as it used to be. In the past, many WWE superstars would supplement their income with independent bookings, but that is no longer as common.

Sponsorships

WWE superstars make a lot of money, but not all of it comes from their salaries. Many wrestlers also earn income from outside sources, such as sponsorships.

Sponsorships are a big source of income for WWE wrestlers. Companies pay WWE superstars to endorse their products. This can include anything from energy drinks to t-shirts to video games. Wrestlers can also get paid to appear in commercials or other forms of advertising.

The amount of money a wrestler makes from sponsorships depends on a number of factors, including their popularity and how many sponsors they have. Some of the biggest names in WWE can make millions of dollars from sponsorships alone.

Acting and Reality TV

In addition to wrestling, many WWE superstars make money from other ventures, such as acting and reality TV.

The average salary for a WWE wrestler is $500,000 per year, but the top superstars can make much more than that. For example, John Cena made $8 million in 2016, while Brock Lesnar made $12 million.

Some WWE superstars also make money from acting roles. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is one of the most successful WWE wrestlers-turned-actors, with an estimated net worth of $280 million. Other wrestlers who have had successful acting careers include Hulk Hogan, Jesse Ventura and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.

Reality TV is another way that WWE wrestlers can make money outside of wrestling. The most successful reality TV star from the WWE is probably Stephanie McMahon, who has starred in two reality shows: McMahon Family and Shane & Stephanie McMahon’s McLaren Factor 3.