How much do circus performers get paid?
I am the Founder and Director of Zippos circus, which incidentally, is an English circus currently touring the UK. So lets forget about American minimum wage law, we have different regulations here in the UK. The truth is that an experienced circus artistes, with a strong act and a reputation for excellence that precedes them (thus they draw in audience members) can command high salaries, many times greater than actors in the Theatre. Aerialists, clowns and jugglers do not get paid the same, but you may be surprised to learn that good clowns are hard to find, whereas all circus girls do an aerial silk act and all circus boys juggle. Nowadays I pay top wages to good clowns, and Zippos always has great clowns. Circus artistes may well start out on low salaries in smaller shows, but once they get to top shows like Zippos they are very well paid indeed. The circus can be a financially rewarding career and is certainly a very special life style to live. Don’t be jealous, learn a circus skil
