Stand-up comedians don’t just command stage time. They’ve got to earn it. Ben Huerta, co-owner of Rivercenter Comedy Club, gave 210SA the rundown on the four basic categories of stand-up and how stand-up comics work their way to bigger and better gigs.

Open micers: Often referred to as the bottom of the stand-up food chain, open-mic performers consist of anyone willing to take a chance onstage. Comedy clubs, bars and restaurants offer open-mic nights, which are generally free to audiences and pay nothing to the performers.

Emcees: Those who have proven they can be poised onstage and get laughs are often given a chance to emcee shows at comedy clubs. Emcees, also called openers, welcome the crowd, make announcements and do about 15 minutes of stand-up. These gigs generally pay $25 to $50.

Featured performers: Once emcees prove themselves in front of audiences and get enough material to fill 30 minutes onstage, a club will book them for a feature spot performing before a show’s headliner. Payment for these gigs starts at $75 to $100 and goes up from there depending on the venue and the comic’s experience. “Some people never make it to this level,” Huerta said.

Headliners: Comics work their way to headlining gigs — and bigger paychecks — after proving they can draw a crowd. Performances last a minimum of 45 minutes and can garner payment in the thousands: the bigger the name, the bigger the paycheck.