What Is the Pro Skateboarder's Average Salary?

Skateboard contests are still not big-money opportunities compared to other professional sports, but with sponsorship and endorsement deals, top U.S. skaters bring in millions annually, according to a 2008 earnings survey of action sports stars done by Forbes magazine.

  1. Average salary

    • Danielle Bostick, co-founder of World Cup Skateboarding, has said that a professional skateboarder can make “anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 a month.”

    Tony Hawk

    • No longer skating competitively, the married father of four still maintains icon status among skateboarders, pulling in $12 million from his Tony Hawk brand, according to Forbes.

    Shaun White

    • The red-haired wonder, who is also a gold-medal winning Olympic snowboarder, racked up $9 million in 2008, according to Forbes. His business empire includes a Target clothing line, a sponsorship deal with Burton Snowboards and Red Bull, and his own video game.

    Ryan Sheckler

    • The 20-year-old skateboarding phenom and MTV reality show star turned pro at 13 years old and was earning $5 million a year by the time he turned 18. Sponsors include Plan B Skateboards and Oakley Eyewear.

    Paul "P-Rod" Rodriguez Jr.

    • The son of comedic actor Paul Rodriguez has won several X-game titles, among other wins. He has his own Nike namesake sneaker and a sponsorship deal with Mountain Dew, among others. He brought in $2 million in 2008, according to Forbes.

    Top purse

    • The Maloof Money Cup skateboard competition reportedly offers the biggest award--the top prizewinner takes home $100,000.