How Much do Strippers Make?

Detroit strip clubs

Saturday, April 7, 2012 8:09 AM

Forbes has an article on how much strippers make. [view link] This subject is always interesting to me, since we sometimes hear about the fabulous incomes earned by strippers. The writer mentions one dancer who made between $2200 and $3000 a month, which isn't exactly a lot of money. I know, you say they don't pay income taxes or payroll taxes, but the strippers also don't receive health insurance and are not earning social security credits for their old age. It seems very difficult to get any accurate data about stripper income. Dancers have a lot of reasons to lie about their earning--they may want to brag about their success or play poor to get customer sympathy or avoid the scrutiny of the tax man. They may have only a vague idea of what they make themselves, since they are often in an alcohol or drug induced haze.

17 comments

Alucard
•
12 years ago
Does it really make a difference to us patrons what a Stripper's income is? I imagine ONLY those entities that TAX are truly interested. LMAO
motorhead
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12 years ago
"the strippers also don't receive health insurance" Almost every dancer that I've known well enough to be familiar with personal financial circumstances have been on Medicaid - at least for their kids. And that despite earning in excess of $60K (off the books).
txtittyfan
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12 years ago
There is no doubt in my mind that some do well at stripping and some don't.
Alucard
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12 years ago
"And Alucard, I don't think I've ever disagreed with you more" We all have our opinions & perspectives. :) I NEVER expect every single opinion that I express to be agreed with. It would be pretty darn boring if that was the situation. LOL
canny
•
12 years ago
Stripper's incomes are all over the place. It depends on where they work, how well they dance, how hard they hustle, if they do extras, what nights they work, if they keep working after they've made what they "need" to earn that night, etc. I have been told by several strippers that the money isn't what it used to be and a lot of them are doing more extras in order to earn enough to pay their bills.
Otto22
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12 years ago
I agree with Ohio Voyeur. Knowing about what dancers make gives us a negotiating edge.
JuiceBox69
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12 years ago
That's till some damn good money
steve229
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12 years ago
"The writer mentions one dancer who made between $2200 and $3000 a month, which isn't exactly a lot of money." Thanks for pointing that out Mr. Romney...
gatorfan
•
12 years ago
Strippers are more middle class than a blue collar factory worker these days
jester214
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12 years ago
I really believe the decent looking ones with any kind of work ethic clean up. What kills most of them is they just don't work enough. They have a good week and then don't work for a week. Or they work the minimum to stay at a club.
needsomenow
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12 years ago
I know a stripper who shuttles between Portland, OR and Anchorage, AK that drives a pretty new maserati and owns a pretty decent house. Notwithstanding the fact that she is drop dead gorgeous - a perfect 10 - I only wonder how much she makes (or whom she screwed/s) to be able to afford all of that?
DandyDan
•
12 years ago
I've heard plenty of strippers say they don't make as much as they used to, but I've only heard two of them recently tell me how much they typically make. One of them at my favorite club said she considers it a good night if she makes $200 a night, but she has a regular job during the week and only strips on weekends and she's also probably the oldest dancer still there on a regular basis. The other dancer recently switched clubs because she was barely making tipout at her previous club. But this particular dancer could work harder at selling dances. I remember her at her old club, and if she had come up to me there and asked about having a dance, I would have bought some, but she never did. And that's the thing. There are just too many variables involved. Every club is different and has different dancers.
gatorfan
•
12 years ago
I don't make as much as I used to
motorhead
•
12 years ago
One thing to keep in mind - and I think all of here do - is there can be a huge difference between the eye popping gross income numbers and the dancer's net savings at the end of the month. Keep in mind that everything a dancer tells you should be taken with a grain of salt, but my CF claims she pays more in car insurance in just 2 months than I do in an entire year. It seems like a lot, but with two DUI's, a poor driving record, and being in her 20's, it could be true. She needs to dance.
Bishop4224
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12 years ago
As much as they say certain jobs are recession proof, they're not immune to pullbacks in income. I'm sure the income was great when unemployment was lower & the stock market high. I think, as echoed by others, the girls don't have enough financial literacy, or don't want to be bothered with, their spending & budget. They focus on the gross but not net and many aren't putting some of their excess earnings into savings. I've talked to many about saving & investing but all too often they're just getting by for the month and/or are encumbered with debt (sometimes medical) that keep them in a vicious cycle of trying to make month's end payments.
Ermita_Nights
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12 years ago
I've known maybe two who had detailed financial plans, usually saving for school. It does seem to be rare.
sharkhunter
•
12 years ago
I remember one pretty good looking dancer except maybe slightly small up top told me she was hoping to make $100 during the night and it was a busier weekend night. I was thinking she needs to circulate and stop drinking with me. If the club is slow typically, the dancers may not make much. Another dancer in the same club was worrying about not making enough to cover the rent while she was staying at a local hotel. The next thing I know she switched the conversation to how far away I lived and mentioned the possibility of staying with me to cut down on her expenses. uhhh, I wasn't expecting that. She made me believe she really was worried about not having a place to stay because she wasn't making enough. Jumping straight to the possibility of moving in without ever doing anything with her was a far out suggestion I thought. She quickly jumped to what she would like to do with me if we got alone. If she had been more my type...

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