Although bull riding is a popular recreational activity, individuals who excel at it may make a profession out of it. A typical bull rider's wage ranges from $19,910 to $187,200, with a yearly average of $64,167. Because so much of a cowboy's success in the sport is dependent on talent, this range is attributable to the competitive nature of bull riding. However reliable these figures are, it is likely that many top riders earn more than this due to sponsorship deals and other outside sources of income. The median salary for all cowboys was $45,000 in 2017. But if you're just a bull rider without a job otherwise, you'll need to be making substantially more than this to have any hope of saving up enough money to buy a ranch or rideo. In fact, most top-level riders cannot afford a house in the bull riding community unless they are prepared to work several months out of the year while they save up their winnings (which is why most riders are employed by rodeos instead of ranches). After taxes, a bull rider's total earnings may be as little as 20% of what they earn. The rest goes to taxes and insurance costs. Riders who compete at the national level may make as much as 100 people working for them; those at the local level may have only one or two employees. In conclusion, bull riding is a very lucrative sport with the potential to make big money if you're talented enough.