It’s been an exciting year in professional women’s basketball. We saw NCAA all-time scorer Caitlin Clark drafted to the WNBA with the first overall pick by the Indiana Fever and make an immediate impact. We also saw the seventh overall pick, Angel Reese, land on the Chicago Sky and an immediate rivalry spring up between the two.
Clark, for her part, has been credited with single-handedly sparking a surge in popularity for women’s basketball, both at the collegiate level and in the WNBA — a phenomenon known as the “Caitlin Clark Effect.” That’s why it was a bit surprising to see her rookie salary set at just $76,500, 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 salary of a WNBA player, 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.
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, 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.
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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