How Do WWE Wrestlers Get Paid?

How do WWE wrestlers get paid? This is a question that has been asked by many fans over the years. While WWE does not release specific numbers, we can look at how other professional wrestlers are paid to get an idea.

WWE Salaries

WWE doesn’t release salary information to the public, so it’s hard to know exactly how much wrestlers are paid. However, we can look at some factors that may affect a wrestler’s salary. For example, a wrestler’s experience, number of appearances, and win-loss record will all play a role in how much they’re paid.

Base Salary

WWE superstars earn a base salary as well as income from live events, merchandise sales, and royalties. In addition, some superstars receive bonuses for main event matches and other appearances. A wrestler’s salary is not public information, however, it is believed that the top earners make millions of dollars per year.

The base salary for a WWE superstar is $250,000 per year, according to a report by Forbes. This is more than double the average salary of $100,000 for other professional athletes. While this may seem like a lot of money, keep in mind that WWE superstars are required to travel extensively and perform on a nightly basis.

Bonuses

In addition to their base salary, WWE wrestlers also receive bonuses for a variety of things.

Wrestlers receive a $500 bonus for each match they wrestle on television. If a wrestler is featured in a main event match (i.e., the match that closes the show), they receive a $1000 bonus. If a wrestler wins a championship, they receive a $5000 bonus. Finally, if a wrestler appears on the Wrestlemania card, they receive a $10,000 bonus. These bonuses are in addition to the wrestler’s base salary and are paid out every week.

In addition to these bonuses, wrestlers also receive royalties for merchandise sales. The percentage of merchandise sales that goes to each wrestler depends on their position on the card. For example, superstars who are featured prominently on television and in main event matches typically receive a higher royalty rate than lower-card wrestlers. The exact percentage varies from wrestler to wrestler, but it is generally between 3% and 5% of total merchandise sales.

Merchandise Sales

In order to receive a percentage of merchandise sales, WWE Superstars must first submit a written request to be included on specific items to the company’s Merchandise Approvals department.

WWE does not release the percentage of merchandise sales that Superstars receive, but it is common for full-time wrestlers on Raw and SmackDown to earn 5% of merchandise sales featuring their likeness, with that number increasing to 6% or 7% for main eventers.

Pay-Per-View Bonuses

WWE pays wrestler a flat fee per event, regardless of how long their match lasts or how high up on the card they are. The current rate, as of 2019, is $500 per event for Raw and SmackDown wrestlers, and $1000 for primetime events such as WrestleMania and Survivor Series. Champions receive a $500 bonus for each event they defend their title. In addition to their base salary, wrestlers receive bonuses for appearing on main event shows, winning matches, and working actively on social media to promote WWE events.

Income from other Ventures

WWE wrestlers get paid a salary for their work in WWE, but many of them also make extra income from outside ventures. The most popular way for WWE wrestlers to make extra income is through merchandise sales. WWE provides wrestlers with a percentage of the revenue generated from the sale of their merchandise.

Acting

The pay for WWE superstars appearing in a movie or television show can vary greatly. For example, Dwayne Johnson was paid $5.5 million for his role in the movie Tooth Fairy, while John Cena was only paid $500,000 for his role in the movie 12 Rounds. In addition to their base salary, WWE superstars may also receive a percentage of the movie’s gross earnings. Wrestlers who have their own production companies may also earn income from producing and starring in their own movies or TV shows.

Writing

WWE wrestlers are not just paid for wrestling, but they also get a cut of the pay-per-view buys, live event ticket sales, and merchandise sales. The biggest earners are of course the main event wrestlers who headline most shows and PPVs, but even mid-card wrestlers can make a good living if they are popular with the fans.

Personal Appearances

WWE wrestlers often get additional income from making personal appearances. This can include meeting and greeting fans, signing autographs, and posing for pictures. The wrestler will usually charge a fee for these appearances, and the amount will depend on their popularity.

Deductions from Salary

The amount WWE wrestlers get paid is public information. However, the amount of money they keep is not. Due to the structure of WWE’s business, the majority of wrestlers are considered independent contractors. This means they are responsible for paying their own taxes and social security.

Training Expenses

Deductions from salary are common in many industries, but they are especially prevalent in the world of professional wrestling. WWE wrestlers are paid a base salary, but they are also responsible for a number of training and travel expenses. These expenses can add up quickly, and they can eat into a wrestler’s earnings.

Training expenses can include the cost of gym membership, wrestling classes, personal trainers, and physiotherapy. Travel expenses can include the cost of plane tickets, hotel rooms, and rental cars. These expenses can be significant, and they can make it difficult for wrestlers to earn a living wage.

Travel Expenses

WWE deducts travel expenses from wrestlers’ salaries. The company charters private planes to fly wrestlers to and from shows, and it pays for their hotel accommodations. WWE also covers the cost of rental cars for wrestlers who drive to shows.

Promotional Expenses

In order to be a WWE wrestler, you have to look the part. That includes maintaining a certain image and physique, which requires time and money.

WWE provides some offset for these expenses through a monthly allowance for each wrestler of $500 for full-time male performers and $250 for part-time and female performers, as well as $1,500 per year for wardrobe.

However, any additional costs related to maintaining your look are deducted from your salary.

Taxes

When it comes to taxes, WWE wrestlers are considered self-employed independent contractors. This means that they are responsible for paying their own taxes. The company does not withhold taxes from their salary and there are no benefits such as health insurance or a retirement plan.

Wrestlers are responsible for paying both federal and state taxes on their income. They are also responsible for paying FICA taxes, which include Social Security and Medicare. The Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA) tax is also deducted from their earnings.

The amount of tax that a wrestler pays depends on their income and the tax bracket they fall into. For example, in 2018, someone who earned $50,000 would fall into the 22% tax bracket. This means that they would owe $11,000 in federal taxes ($50,000 x 0.22).

State taxes vary depending on the state. For example, in California, the state tax rate is 9.3%. This means that if a wrestler earned $50,000 in California, they would owe $4,650 in state taxes ($50,000 x 0.093).

In total, a wrestler who earned $50,000 in California would owe $15,650 in federal, state and FICA taxes ($11,000 + $4,650 + $500).