Wrestling Almanac: Pro Wrestling Wages

(note this does not include sponsorships or movie role earnings etc.)

$50,000-$99,000 per year

Most performers who are employed just for television, such as Terri Runnels and Tori, are in this wage bracket.


$100,000-$249,000 per year

In this wage bracket are such wrestlers as Jacqueline, Too Cool, Bradshaw, The Godfather, Funaki, Viscera & Midion. Each of these earns in the neighborhood of $200,000 a year. Albert earns about $150,000 in a year while Chris Benoit makes $190,000/year.


$250,000-$499,999 per year

This is what most mid-card wrestlers in the WWF earn. In this bracket are Mark Henry ($300,000 per year until 2006), Taka Michinoku ($250,000) , X-Pac, Val Venis, Road Dogg, Perry Saturn, & Chris Jericho.


$500,000-$999,999 per year

This is what some of the bigger stars in the WWF earn. In this bracket are Mankind, Kurt Angle, Test, Tazz, Trish Stratus, Val Venis, Dean Malenko [what the hell?!], The Undertaker & HHH. Also in this bracket is The Rock ($600,000 a year 'downside' until 2005) but his actual earnings exceeded $2 million in 1999.


$ 1 million + per year

These are the big money earners in wrestling. In this bracket are Big Show ($1.1 million per year until 2009), Ken Shamrock ($1.1 million per year until 2001) & Steve Austin earned over $6 million in 1999. The Big Bossman earns $1 Million per year until 2009.