Clublife in Gotham shines as bright as the lights in Times Square, thanks to an elite coterie of international celebrity DJs, who command a college graduate’s entry-level salary for one night on the decks.

That fact wasn’t lost on Madonna. She knew that New York City was the perfect place for her 23-year-old Brazilian beau, Jesus Luz, to play his sophomore gig this past November, when he electrified the star-studded bash honoring designer Valentino at The Standard Hotel (848 Washington St., 1-212-645-4646). Thanks to Madge’s clout—and a crash course at the Dubspot DJ school (348 W. 14th St., 1-212-242-2100)—Luz went from earning $500 a day as a model to getting into the groove for $15,000 a night.

Though he’s not involved with a superstar (as far as is known), DJ Cassidy —named one of the city’s most eligible bachelors by the New York Post—regularly mixes it up for the rich and famous, bringing his mélange of beats to local clubs Tenjune (26 Little W. 12th St., 646-624-2410) and M2 Ultra-lounge (530 W. 28th St., 1-212-629-9000). Cassidy has rocked parties for corporate giants like Nike (even though he’s said to wear only adidas shell-toe shoes), as well as soirees thrown by P. Diddy, Kanye West, Oprah Winfrey and Jay-Z.

Cassidy is joined on the scene by Mia Moretti, a jet-setting scenester who’s remixed tracks for gal-pal Katy Perry, and ATB (André Tanneberger), No. 4 on The DJ List of the world’s top beatsmiths. ATB’s electronic dance spectacle energizes revelers on Mar. 19 at the Nokia Theatre Times Square (1515 Broadway, 1-212-930-1959).

Pacha (618 W. 46th St., 1-212-209-7500), co-owned by superstar DJ/producer Erick Morillo, offers the quintessential big-room clubbing experience. The four-level West Side club—complete with its secluded Pachita VIP suite—isn’t as close to the beach as its counterpart in Ibiza, but it’s where icons like will.i.am play when they roll through town. And then there’s Cielo (18 Little W. 12th St., 1-212-645-5700), a stylish Meatpacking District institution with a mirror ball and sunken dance floor, where beautiful people mingle and boogie to big-name DJs, including François K and Willie Graff.

When a DJ turns a club into a palace and a night out into a party, he's earned his fame - and the big bucks.