It’s an exciting time in professional women’s basketball. Caitlin Clark is firmly entrenched in the Indiana Fever‘s lineup. She made an immediate impact last season and sparked an immediate rivalry Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky. Now, UConn phenom Paige Bruecker is set to take the court for the Dallas Wings.
These top-tier players, and especially Clark, have been credited with a surge in popularity for women’s basketball, both at the collegiate level and in the WNBA. That’s why it’s a bit surprising to see their rookie salaries set at just around $76,000, not including marketing, sponsorship and endorsement revenue.
So that begs the question: How much do the top players in the WNBA make on average? Here’s a breakdown of the average WNBA salary, plus a full list of every player’s salary, so you can see how much your favorite WNBA star makes each year.
Want to see these players in action on the court? You can catch top WNBA games on TV all season long with DIRECTV!
How Does Compensation Work in the WNBA?
Unlike their counterparts in the NBA, where players split revenue with their franchises 50-50, players in the WNBA receive on average only about 10% of their team’s revenue.
Each WNBA team also has to comply with the league’s salary cap, the maximum amount of money it can spend to attract talent and pay players. That figure is currently set at around $1.45 million per team.
Each team must spend a minimum of that number, currently about $1.2 million. If they don’t meet the minimum by the end of the regular season, they must pay players additional salary until it is met.
What is the Average WNBA Salary in 2025?
The average salary for WNBA players is $147,745 as of the 2024 season, the most recent numbers available. That’s up from about $113,000 in 2023.
What is the WNBA’s Minimum Wage for a Player?
The league minimum salary in the WNBA is currently set at $62,285.
Which WNBA Teams Pay Players the Most?
Let’s take a look at which teams currently spend the most in player payroll and which spend the least:
| Team | Total Payroll |
| Indiana Fever | $1,394,827 |
| Atlanta Dream | $1,361,735 |
| Seattle Storm | $1,337,099 |
| Minnesota Lynx | $1,320,821 |
| Chicago Sky | $1,308,475 |
| Las Vegas Aces | $1,289,735 |
| Los Angeles Sparks | $1,255,132 |
| Dallas Wings | $1,128,797 |
| Connecticut Sun | $1,025,732 |
| Phoenix Mercury | $1,011,884 |
| New York Liberty | $808,807 |
| Golden State Valkyries (NEW in 2025) | $795,594 |
| Washington Mystics | $783,760 |
WNBA Salaries by Player, Top 25 in 2025
Now that we know which teams are the biggest spenders and what the league average salary is, let’s take a look at which players make the most per season. Here’s the top 25 highest-paid WNBA players in 2025.
| Rank | Player | Team | Compensation |
| 1 | Jackie Young | Las Vegas Aces | $252,450 |
| 2 | Kelsey Mitchell | Indiana Fever | $249,244 |
| 3 | Jewell Loyd | Seattle Storm | $245,508 |
| 4 | Kahleah Copper | Phoenix Mercury | $245,059 |
| 5 | Arike Ogunbowale | Dallas Wings | $241,984 |
| 6 | Gabby Williams | Seattle Storm | $225,000 |
| T-7 | Alyssa Thomas | Phoenix Mercury | $215,000 |
| T-7 | Satou Sabally | Phoenix Mercury | $215,000 |
| 9 | Natasha Howard | Indiana Fever | $214,666 |
| T-10 | Brionna Jones | Atlanta Dream | $214,466 |
| T-10 | Brittney Griner | Atlanta Dream | $214,466 |
| 12 | Skylar Diggins-Smith | Seattle Storm | $211,343 |
| 13 | Marina Mabrey | Connecticut Sun | $206,667 |
| 14 | Kayla McBride | Minnesota Lynx | $206,500 |
| 15 | Sabrina Ionescu | New York Liberty | $205,030 |
| 16 | Misha Hines-Allen | Dallas Wings | $203,000 |
| T-17 | Dearica Hamby | Los Angeles Sparks | $202,000 |
| T-17 | Kelsey Plum | Los Angeles Sparks | $202,000 |
| T-19 | Tiffany Hayes | Golden State Valkyries | $200,000 |
| T-19 | A’ja Wilson | Las Vegas Aces | $200,000 |
| T-19 | DeWanna Bonner | Indiana Fever | $200,000 |
| T-19 | Ariel Atkins | Washington Mystics | $200,000 |
| T-19 | Natasha Cloud | Connecticut Sun | $200,000 |
| T-19 | DiJonai Carrington | Dallas Wings | $200,000 |
| 25 | Chelsea Gray | Las Vegas Aces | $196,267 |
What about Caitlin Clark?
Caitlin Clark, the all-time leading scorer in college basketball, was the first overall draft pick by the Indiana Fever last season and has become one of the most popular and recognizable athletes in American sports, helping the WNBA log its most-watched regular season ever in 2024. Despite that, she doesn’t crack the top five, with a salary of just above $78,000.
Clark makes tons of money from endorsements, sponsorships and other channels, but her low player salary was quickly highlighted as a flash point in the discrepancy between men’s and women’s sports salaries, especially between the NBA (the highest-paid sport on average) and the WNBA.
Curious to see for yourself? Check out the 2025 NBA Highest Paid Players here.
Is the WNBA Profitable?
Nope. The WNBA is currently losing money each season — about $40 to $50 million, by some estimates — despite a surge in viewership and popularity in the last two years. That’s also despite the league’s revenue doubling since the 2019 season. The WNBA’s revenue now stands at about $200 million per year.
The WNBA is kept afloat in the face of those losses due to the NBA holding a majority ownership stake in the league and subsidizing much of its operations.
Watch WNBA on DIRECTV
So, there you have it: Everything you ever wanted to know about 2025 WNBA salary figures for the current WNBA season.
Ready to catch all the hoops, hits, fouls and free throws as the 2025 WNBA regular season ramps up? Sign up for DIRECTV and start watching today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the highest paid WNBA player?
Jackie Young is the highest paid WNBA player, with a $504,000 total contract ($252,450 per year).
Which WNBA team has the highest payroll?
The Dallas Wings have the highest payroll in the WNBA.
What is the current WNBA salary cap?
The WNBA salary cap for 2025 is about $1.5 million.
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