Professional athletes can earn enormous salaries, but the amount they make varies dramatically by sport. A small number of superstar athletes earn tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars, while the typical professional player earns considerably less.
If the question is what sports players make the most money on average, the answer depends on how “average” is measured and which leagues or levels of competition are included. Comparing major U.S. professional leagues such as the NBA, MLB, NFL and NHL is more meaningful than comparing an entire sport worldwide because salaries differ substantially between countries, leagues and levels.
It is also important to separate average player salary from the earnings of the highest-paid stars. Forbes’ 2026 athlete rankings show individual players earning extraordinary amounts from salaries, prize money and endorsements, but those figures do not represent what the average player in their sport earns.
Which Sports Generally Pay Players the Most?
Among major professional team sports in the United States, basketball, baseball and football are among the sports associated with very high player compensation.
However, there is no single worldwide statistic that can accurately rank every sport by average player earnings. A comparison must specify the leagues being measured.
The biggest differences come from factors such as:
- League revenue
- Salary-cap or payroll rules
- Number of players on each roster
- Guaranteed versus non-guaranteed contracts
- Length of the season
- Television and sponsorship revenue
- Collective bargaining agreements
- Global popularity of the sport
- Individual endorsements
For example, Forbes notes that NBA superstars can earn roughly $50 million to $70 million, while MLB stars can earn around $40 million to $70 million and elite NFL quarterbacks can reach approximately $50 million to $65 million. NHL superstars generally fall below those figures.
Those are star-level earnings, not average player salaries, so they should not be confused with the question of what the typical player earns.
Why Basketball Players Can Earn So Much
Basketball has a relatively small roster size compared with some other major team sports. That means a larger share of a team’s available payroll can be concentrated among individual players.
The NBA also has a global commercial audience and substantial media and sponsorship revenue.
Superstar contracts demonstrate the scale of the league’s highest salaries. For example, Nikola Jokic signed a five-year, $270 million supermax extension with the Denver Nuggets in 2022.
Other NBA stars have also signed contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars over several seasons.
But these contracts should not be used as the average salary for all NBA players. A league’s highest-paid players can significantly influence an arithmetic average.
Why Baseball Players Earn High Salaries
Major League Baseball is another sport where established players can command exceptionally large contracts.
One major reason is that MLB contracts can be very long and highly valuable.
For example, Juan Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets before the 2025 season.
Mike Trout’s contract with the Los Angeles Angels was worth $426.5 million over 12 years when signed in 2019, although that deal has since been surpassed.
MLB’s 2026 earnings data also illustrates how much money can be concentrated among elite players. Forbes estimated that Shohei Ohtani would earn $127 million in 2026, including $125 million from off-field sources.
Again, superstar earnings are not representative of the average MLB player.
Why NFL Players Can Earn Huge Salaries
The NFL is one of the world’s most commercially successful sports leagues, and elite players can receive extremely large contracts.
Quarterbacks generally occupy some of the highest-paid positions because of their importance to team performance and the value of the position in the market.
However, NFL compensation is different from NBA and MLB compensation because contracts are structured differently and not every dollar of a headline contract is necessarily guaranteed.
For example, Lamar Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million extension with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023.
Micah Parsons later received a four-year, $186 million contract from the Green Bay Packers after his 2025 trade from Dallas.
These deals show the earning potential of elite NFL players, but they do not establish the average income of an NFL player.
What About Hockey Players?
NHL players can also earn substantial salaries, although the very top of the market generally sits below the largest NBA, MLB and NFL superstar contracts.
Forbes describes the NHL as an outlier among the major North American sports because player salaries are generally lower than those in the NBA, MLB and NFL. It gives an estimated range of about $10 million to $16 million for an NHL superstar, compared with much higher ranges for stars in the other leagues.
That comparison concerns superstars rather than the average player, but it demonstrates the different financial structures across the major leagues.
Does the Highest-Paid Sport Have the Highest Average Salary?
Not necessarily.
This is one of the most important distinctions when researching athlete earnings.
Suppose one league has a handful of players earning $50 million or more while most players earn substantially less. Its average could be pulled upward by those extremely high salaries.
A median salary can provide a different picture because it identifies the middle player rather than calculating the total payroll divided by the number of players.
For that reason, anyone asking which sport pays players the most should look at both:
- Average salary
- Median salary
The answer can change depending on which measurement is used.
Average Salary vs. Highest Salary
These terms should not be treated as interchangeable.
Average salary is calculated by adding player salaries together and dividing by the number of players.
Median salary identifies the salary in the middle of the distribution.
Highest salary refers to the individual player at the top of the pay scale.
Total earnings can include endorsements, appearance fees, bonuses and other income in addition to playing compensation.
For example, Forbes estimated that Shohei Ohtani’s 2026 income would total $127 million, but only $2 million was expected to come from his Dodgers playing salary, with the remainder coming primarily from off-field activities.
That makes Ohtani’s total earnings very different from his team salary.
Do Endorsements Count as Sports Income?
It depends on what the comparison is trying to measure.
If the question concerns player salaries, endorsement income should normally be excluded.
If the question concerns total athlete earnings, endorsements can be included.
Forbes’ annual highest-paid-athlete ranking specifically combines on-field earnings with off-field income such as sponsorships and appearance fees. Its 2026 methodology covers the period from May 1, 2025, through May 1, 2026.
This explains why the highest-paid athletes list can look very different from a ranking based strictly on league salaries.
Which Sports Have the Biggest Superstar Salaries?
Looking at the top end rather than the average produces a different picture.
| Sport | Examples of top-end earnings | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Basketball | NBA stars can reach $50M+ annually | Superstar earnings are not average salary |
| Baseball | MLB stars can reach $50M+ annually | Contracts can include huge bonuses and deferred money |
| Football | Elite NFL players can reach $50M+ | Contract guarantees vary |
| Hockey | NHL superstars generally earn less than top NBA/MLB/NFL stars | Top-end salaries are lower |
Forbes’ 2026 reporting places elite NBA, MLB and NFL players in similar broad financial territory at the very top, while NHL superstar compensation is generally lower.
Why Athlete Salaries Differ So Much
League Revenue
More revenue gives leagues and teams greater financial capacity to compensate players.
Roster Size
A league with fewer players on each team can distribute a greater share of payroll among individual athletes.
Salary Rules
Salary caps, luxury taxes, guaranteed contracts and revenue-sharing systems all affect player compensation.
Player Demand
Elite players who are difficult to replace can command much larger contracts.
Career Length
Some professional sports have shorter average careers than others, which can influence contract structures and annual compensation.
International Market
Sports with large global audiences can generate significant sponsorship and media revenue, increasing the earning potential of top athletes.
Why the Average Can Be Misleading
Imagine a fictional league with 100 players.
If 90 players earn $2 million and 10 players earn $30 million, the average would be much higher than what most players actually receive.
That is why “average salary” does not necessarily describe the typical experience of a professional athlete.
For a more realistic picture of what most players earn, researchers may examine the median salary, minimum salary, roster distribution and guaranteed compensation.
This is especially important when comparing sports with dramatically different roster sizes and compensation structures.
Are Professional Athletes Paid More Than the Average Worker?
At the major professional level, many established athletes earn substantially more than the average American worker.
However, professional sports are highly selective careers. A relatively small percentage of people who play a sport at younger levels ultimately reach a major professional league.
In addition, not every professional athlete earns superstar-level money. Rookies, reserve players, minor-league athletes and players in lower-tier leagues can earn considerably less.
Therefore, statistics about elite professional athletes should not be interpreted as representative of everyone who participates in that sport.
Which Sport Should You Look At If Money Is the Main Factor?
There is no single answer that applies to every athlete.
For someone researching professional sports compensation, it is more useful to compare specific leagues and measurements rather than simply asking which sport is richest.
A useful comparison would include:
- Average salary
- Median salary
- Minimum salary
- Highest salary
- Guaranteed compensation
- Typical career length
- Endorsement opportunities
- Number of professional roster spots
This produces a much more meaningful picture of earning potential.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sports players make the most money on average?
Major professional basketball, baseball and football leagues are among the highest-paying sports markets, but the exact ranking depends on whether average salary, median salary or total earnings is being compared.
Do NBA players make more money than NFL players?
The answer depends on the specific measurement and year. NBA and NFL compensation structures are different, so comparing league-wide average or median salaries is more useful than comparing individual superstars.
Do MLB players make a lot of money?
Yes. MLB has some of the largest player contracts in professional sports. Juan Soto’s 15-year, $765 million contract is one example of the enormous compensation available to elite players.
Which sport has the highest-paid athletes?
At the individual superstar level, basketball, baseball, football and soccer all produce athletes with extremely high earnings. Forbes’ 2026 highest-paid-athlete ranking includes athletes from eight sports.
Is average salary the same as average athlete earnings?
No. Salary normally refers to compensation from playing for a team, while total earnings can include endorsements, appearance fees, bonuses and business income.
Why are some athletes paid much more than others?
Teams pay a premium for players who provide exceptional performance, scarcity, marketability and value relative to available alternatives. Contract rules and league economics also influence salaries.
Is median salary better than average salary?
For understanding what a typical player earns, median salary can be more informative because a few extremely large contracts can pull the average upward.
Conclusion
The answer to what sports players make the most money on average depends on exactly what is being compared. Major professional basketball, baseball and football leagues all have exceptionally high earning opportunities, particularly for established stars.
But the highest-paid athlete is not necessarily representative of the average player. Forbes’ 2026 data shows individual athletes earning tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars when salary and off-field income are combined, while league-wide player compensation follows a much broader distribution.
For a meaningful comparison, look beyond the biggest contracts. Average salary, median salary, minimum salary, guaranteed compensation and total career earnings can tell very different stories about how much players in each sport actually make.