Average WNBA salary and top earnings: How they compare to NBA
The salary structure in professional basketball has long piqued curiosity, particularly when comparing wages for men and women. While the NBA is recognised for its high wages, WNBA players face a different financial reality. Despite the rise of women's basketball, the average WNBA salary remains questionable.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The women's league is relatively new, having been established on April 24, 1996, and has been playing since 1997. This article will examine the average WNBA salary, top earners, and how their income compares to the NBA and answer many important issues.
What is the average WNBA salary?
According to WSN, the average WNBA pay is around $116,800 per year. As published by Statista, this is a slight increase from $116,580 in the 2023-24 season and even more so than in previous seasons. According to NBC Connecticut, the average wage in 2022 was $102,751.
However, the gap is evident compared to the NBA, where the average salary for the 2024-25 season is approximately $11,910,649, according to SI. The budget for the 2023-34 season was $9.7 million.
However, Talk Sport reported NBA players earned an average annual salary of over $12 million during the 2023/24 season. The top NBA players earn more in a single season than most WNBA players would earn during their entire careers. The following is an approximate breakdown of the last three seasons.
| Season | WNBA average salary estimates | NBA average salary estimates |
| 2024-25 | $116, 800 | $11.9 million |
| 2023-24 | $116,580 | $9.7 million |
| 2022-23 | $102,751 | About $8.25 million |
How much revenue does the WNBA generate compared to the NBA?
For comparison, NBA players are paid far more since the league earns substantially more income, over $10 billion per year, compared to the WNBA's approximately $200 million, according to WSN. This distinction explains why NBA earnings are significantly greater despite both leagues being at the pinnacle of professional basketball.
Source: Original
Collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) establish the league's earnings scale, which determines the WNBA's compensation structure. According to the Guardian, the median WNBA pay is $78,000, which is far lower than the average.
A huge percentage of the league's players earn significantly less, particularly rookies and those lower on the roster. Suppose a few WNBA players receive extremely high pay while the majority get relatively low salaries. In that case, the average salary will be higher than the median salary, making the median salary a more accurate representation of what a typical player earns.
WNBA vs. NBA pay
The highest-paid player in the WNBA, which includes players such as Arike Ogunbowale, Jackie Young, Diana Taurasi, and Jewell Loyd, makes little under $252,450 per year. In contrast, the NBA's highest-paid player, Stephen Curry, gets over $55 million annually.
Curry's earnings per game exceed Jackie Young's (the top WNBA earner) annual compensation. To put this into context, Curry earns 217 times more than the top WNBA players.
According to Hoops Hype, 27 NBA players will make over $40 million each in the 2024-25 season, an amount unparalleled in the WNBA. Even a single benchwarmer might earn more than an entire team in the Women's League.
Rookie contracts and salaries comparison
Both often sign rookies to four-year contracts. In the NBA, the first two years are guaranteed, with teams having the option of extending the deal into the third and fourth years, during which pay rises. In contrast, WNBA rookies are signed to a three-year deal with the opportunity to extend it to four years if the player and team agree.
Source: Getty Images
According to Marca, the top four WNBA draft picks are guaranteed a base salary of $76,535 in their first year. Their income grows slightly each year, depending on their draft position.
Based on Spotrac estimates, top NBA rookies will earn over $10 million in their first year alone. These contracts are partially guaranteed for the first two years, with extensions available for the third and fourth years.
Meanwhile, WNBA rookies picked in the first round will earn a salary in the range of $75,000 in their first year. For example, Caitlin Clark will earn $76,000 in the first year, $78,000 in the second year, and $85,000 in the third year.
Clark's total compensation for four years would be roughly $338,000. Don't forget that Caitlin Clark is considered one of the finest collegiate players of all time.
Clark's total compensation for four years would be roughly $338,000. Do not forget that Caitlin Clark is considered one of the finest collegiate players of all time.
Victor Wembanyama, the NBA Draft's top choice, will earn around $55 million over the course of his first four-year contract. The compensation disparity appears "ridiculous" given that Caitlin Clark is the face of women's basketball and Victor Wembanyama was the top male rookie.
Why is there such a massive gap in earnings?
It boils down to money generation. The NBA generates significantly more revenue through television contracts, sponsorships, merchandise, and ticket sales.
According to Just Women's Sports, players in the NBA receive half of the total revenue, whereas players in the WNBA receive only half of the league's additional revenue. This means that while the NBA distributes profits to players based on total income, the WNBA only distributes revenue that surpasses the league's financial target for the season.
Source: Getty Images
Players are increasingly vocal about feeling shortchanged in how revenue is distributed. According to Just Women's Sports, Las Vegas Aces standout Kelsey Plum stated in an interview in 2022:
"We are not asking to get paid what the men get paid. We are asking to get paid the same percentage of revenue shared."
Frequently asked questions
With 12 clubs and few roster places, the battle for greater compensation is fierce, and WNBA players must continuously perform at an exceptional level to advance up the pay scale. Here are some more questions that fans want answered.
- Who is the highest-paid woman in the WNBA? Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces is the WNBA's highest-paid player for the 2024 season, receiving $252,450 as part of a two-year contract for $504,900.
- What is the minimum salary in the WNBA? According to ESPN, the minimum compensation for players with 0-2 years of service is $64,154, while those with three years or more earn $76,535.
- What is the median salary in the NBA? The median NBA salary for the 2024-25 season is $6,696,429, according to Basketball Reference.
While average WNBA salary has increased over time, they still fall well behind the earnings of the NBA. As the league grows and attracts more spectators and sponsors, players' salaries are expected to rise further.
READ ALSO: NBA G League salary breakdown: What players earn in the NBA's developmental league
Briefly published about NBA G League salary breakdown. The league has seen a significant increase in popularity in recent years due to its role of nurturing young talents into the NBA.
In addition to the thrill of the game, spectators frequently have questions concerning the G League's salary structure.
Source: Briefly News
