Caitlin Clark’s salary has been revealed as the WNBA icon is named the sixth highest paid female athlete in the world.
Clark has been making the headlines in recent months as she strives to help secure better paying conditions for herself and her fellow WNBA players.
The 23-year-old has had an immense economic impact on the game itself, which has resulted in record attendances, higher merchandise sales and an increase in television viewership.
However, her initial WNBA rookie wage, which was set by the existing CBA, was an estimated $76,535 for her first season.
Clark 'won't ever be paid what she's worth to the WNBA'
“Will Caitlin Clark ever be paid by the WNBA what she's really worth to that league? I don't think that's possible,” Clark’s agent Erin Kane told ESPN back in February.
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“She's part of a larger player body. They all need to be paid more. She should be recognised for what she has done and what she's brought to the league from an economic standpoint. It's as simple as that.”
The WNBPA opted out of the current CBA last October as they aimed for better salaries and higher revenue sharing as part of a new business model, with negotiations ongoing until the end of the 2025 season.
With rival leagues also able to offer more competitive salaries, the WNBA needed to change their current payment structure in order to retain the best players.
Highest paid female athletes revealed
Even with such a low wage, however, it’s been revealed that Clark is currently the sixth highest earning women’s athlete.
The report by Sportico showed that Clark earned $16m in 2025, that more than golfer Nelly Korda, who brought in $11m this calendar year.
That said, the bulk of Clark’s earnings in 2025 came from endorsements rather than wages from the WNBA, which served to highlight further the need for an updated payment structure.
Tennis star Coco Gauff was the highest earning female athlete in 2025, as she made $31m, $23m of which came from endorsements.
Fellow tennis player Aryna Sabalenka ranked second with $30m, though her wages of $15m for the year was higher than any other female athlete.
Endorsements boosting the coffers of sporting stars
Iga Swiatek made $23.1m from tennis this year, while freestyle skier Eileen Gu made $23m, however like Clark, the vast majority of her earnings came from endorsements.
Gymnast Simone Biles and legendary American tennis player Venus Williams were among those whose endorsements dwarfed their wages in 2025.
The Indiana Fever finished the regular WNBA season third in the Eastern Conference and sixth overall, but crashed out of the playoffs at the semi-final stage to the Las Vegas Aces in October.
Topics: WNBA
Ben McAleer