Short answer: It varies enormously. How Much Do AEW Wrestlers Make Reported estimates put AEW’s top stars in the roughly $3 million to $6 million a year range, while the roster average implied by payroll figures is around $540,000. That average is skewed upward by a handful of expensive contracts, so a typical undercard wrestler earns far less. All Elite Wrestling is a private company, and none of its contract figures are official.
Can You Trust AEW Salary Numbers?
Not fully. Salary information is not publicly available, and the figures that circulate come from reporting, interviews and industry chatter. Some of the popular numbers appear on betting-blog and listicle sites that repeat one another. Others are quoted from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, run by Dave Meltzer, who is widely cited on wrestling business.
I treat every number below as an estimate, and I name the source type where I can. Where I found nothing solid, I say so.
What Do the Top AEW Stars Reportedly Earn?
The most-repeated estimates put Jon Moxley at about $6 million a year. The table below shows commonly reported figures.
| Wrestler | Reported annual estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jon Moxley | ~$6 million | Widely repeated; ties to a five-year deal signed in 2022 |
| Will Ospreay | ~$5.5 million | Estimate from a 2026 roundup |
| Mercedes Moné | ~$5 million | Often called the highest-paid woman in wrestling |
| Kazuchika Okada | ~$4.5 million | Reported three-year deal from 2024 |
| Kenny Omega | ~$3 million | Older estimate |
Some figures conflict. One Wrestling Observer-based report described Mercedes Moné’s deal as exceeding $10 million per year, while most other roundups say $5 million, so treat her number as uncertain. Okada’s reported three-year deal of about $13.5 million works out to roughly $4.5 million a year, which matches the other lists.
Chris Jericho was named the company’s highest-paid wrestler by Meltzer at one point. His then-current contract ran through December 2025, so I would not assume that ranking still holds in 2026.
What Does the Average AEW Wrestler Make?
Probably much less than the headline numbers suggest. A Wrestling Observer-sourced report put AEW’s annual talent payroll at approximately $104 million. It cited roughly 192 active wrestlers, which works out to about $541,666 each. That figure is a mathematical average, and it is inflated by multi-million-dollar deals for a small number of stars.
Two cautions apply. The $104 million figure is a couple of years old, and salary reporting changes as contracts are renewed. Fan-compiled estimate sites place many women’s-division and mid-card wrestlers in the low-to-mid six figures, but those numbers are unofficial. In practice, the gap between the top and bottom of the roster is wide.
sourecs: sports.yahoo.com
Do AEW Wrestlers Get Paid Per Match?
Most contracted talent is paid a salary, not per match. AEW pays talent through annual contracts. I did not find reliable reporting on per-match rates, so any specific per-match dollar figure you see online should be treated with suspicion.
Bonus and side income can add to a contract. Reported earnings for top names can include pay-per-view main-event money and merchandise sales, though the exact terms are private. The Fightful piece on WWE describes a layered structure of base guarantee, pay-per-view bonuses and merchandise share, and it is reasonable to assume AEW’s top deals also have layers, but that is my inference and not confirmed.
How Much Does AEW Spend on Talent?
Talent is AEW’s biggest cost, and the share of revenue going to it is changing. Reporting from Meltzer said AEW paid just over 55% of revenue to talent before its new TV deal. He projected about 36% once the deal took effect in 2025.
The money behind that shift comes from the TV rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. Its contract terms reportedly pay $185 million in 2026 and $190 million in 2027, with a network option to extend into 2028. Tony Khan said AEW’s revenue is at its highest ever and that the company has its strongest financial outlook, though he did not say whether AEW is profitable in 2026.
My analysis: with a fixed TV rights fee and a roster this large, AEW’s payroll is likely a function of a few marquee signings, not across-the-board raises. That is consistent with the huge gap between reported top pay and the roster average.
Does AEW Pay More Than WWE?
At the very top, WWE reportedly pays more. Lower down, the picture is less clear.
- WWE minimum: The main roster minimum is commonly cited as $250,000, based on comments attributed to Triple H.
- WWE top stars: Reported figures range from about $2 million to $8.5 million.
- Fightful’s estimates: It puts Cody Rhodes at about $12 million a year and CM Punk at about $10 million, both estimates, and both former AEW stars now in WWE.
So the AEW stars listed above earn well by wrestling standards, but they are generally below WWE’s highest earners. Where AEW may be competitive is in giving talent leverage in negotiations, because top free agents have a second major employer to shop to.
How Much Do AEW Women Make?
The top female estimate is Mercedes Moné at about $5 million a year, with the caveat above. Below that, reliable public figures are scarce. Older listicles put other women’s-division names at roughly $1.8 million to $2 million, but those lists are years old and not well sourced. I would not present any single number as confirmed for the rest of the women’s roster.
How Much Do Independent Wrestlers Make?
I found no reliable, sourced numbers for independent wrestling pay, so I will not invent one. Independent pay is generally lower and less predictable than a major promotion contract, and independent wrestlers commonly earn income from merchandise and bookings on several shows. Signing with a major company like AEW changes income mainly by adding guaranteed money.
What Could Change AEW Salaries Next?
The biggest wildcard is who owns AEW’s TV partner. Paramount Skydance’s bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery has been held up by a legal challenge from states, and Dave Meltzer has said parts of the deal could affect AEW’s TV homes. On September 24, 2026, Tony Khan said he sees the deal as tremendous for AEW and a bright future, and that AEW’s pay-per-views are doing strong numbers on HBO Max. AEW’s current TV deal runs through the end of 2027, with a one-year extension option held by WBD.
For salaries, the practical takeaway is this: pay for top talent tracks TV and streaming revenue, so the next media rights negotiation matters more than any single event.
Bottom Line
AEW’s top stars reportedly earn millions, but that describes a few contracts, not the roster. Treat every salary as a reported estimate, favor sources that cite Wrestling Observer reporting or named interviews, and be skeptical of copy-paste lists. When new contract or payroll reporting appears, it will most likely come from those channels.
6. Custom FAQ Section
How much do AEW wrestlers make on average?
Payroll math from one report suggests about $540,000 per wrestler, but that average is skewed by a few star contracts. Most of the roster likely earns much less.
Who is the highest-paid AEW wrestler?
Jon Moxley is most often listed, at about $6 million a year. This is a reported estimate, not an official figure.
Do AEW wrestlers get paid per match?
Contracted AEW talent is generally paid through annual contracts. I found no reliable reporting on per-match rates.
Does AEW pay more than WWE?
At the top end, WWE reportedly pays more. WWE’s reported main roster minimum is $250,000, and its top stars are reported between about $2 million and $8.5 million.
How much does Mercedes Moné make in AEW?
Most sources say about $5 million a year, while one Wrestling Observer-based report described a deal above $10 million annually. The figure is uncertain.
Are AEW salaries public?
No. AEW is private, and salary details come from reporting and estimates, not official disclosure.
7. FAQ Schema (JSON-LD)
8. Important Entities Mentioned
- All Elite Wrestling (AEW); Tony Khan (president and CEO)
- Jon Moxley, Will Ospreay, Mercedes Moné, Kazuchika Okada, Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho
- Cody Rhodes and CM Punk (former AEW stars, now WWE)
- WWE; Triple H
- Dave Meltzer and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Warner Bros. Discovery; Paramount Skydance; HBO Max
- Fightful; ProWrestling.net
- AEW Dynamite, AEW Collision, AEW All Out
9. Suggested Featured Image Idea
An original graphic of a wrestling ring seen from the entrance ramp, with a stack of dollar-sign icons rising like a stairway toward the ring, and a small gap between the top step and the lower steps to suggest pay inequality. Avoid using AEW logos or wrestler photos unless you have licensed them.
Before publishing, verify: whether Jericho’s contract was renewed after December 2025, whether any newer Wrestling Observer payroll figure has replaced the $104 million estimate, and the outcome of the Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery deal, which was still pending at last check.