The average WNBA salary in 2026 is about $518,000, according to USA TODAY’s analysis of Spotrac data, but the median salary is much lower at $350,000.
The difference is simple: Many WNBA players make the
league minimum or a little over. Per USA TODAY’s analysis of Spotrac's WNBA salary data, 85 of the league’s 189 players on active rosters make $300,000 or less in base salary. The full-season league minimum is between $270,000 and $300,000, depending on experience.
Taken together, those figures show WNBA salaries are distributed unevenly under the latest collective bargaining agreement signed in March. The average is pulled upward by a relatively small group of seven-figure earners, while 45% of the league makes $300,000 or less.
The WNBA had projected average salaries would exceed $583,000 under that new CBA. USA TODAY’s $518,000 figure is instead a snapshot of listed base salaries for active-roster players as of Oct. 6.
In total, 31 of the highest-paid WNBA players make $1 million or more, led by a trio at $1.4 million: Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier.
What is the average WNBA salary in 2026?
Based on 189 active players in Spotrac’s database, the average WNBA base salary is $517,550.
The median is $350,000, which is the base salary for Nia Brodie of the Minnesota Lynx and Rebecca Allen of the New York Liberty. Brodie is a ninth year forward who played in all 44 games for Minnesota this season, averaging 6.2 points with 4.3 rebounds. Allen played in 29 regular-season games for New York in her 11th season and averaged 5.8 points.
Dallas Wings center Awak Kuier is the closest player to the league average with her base salary of $525,000. The four-year vet played in 41 games for the Wings this season and averaged 6.3 points.
Caitlin Clark earned $528,846 in her third WNBA season, which ended on Oct. 1 following a first round playoff exit against Las Vegas. She in on her rookie contract and was the sixth-highest paid player on the Indiana Fever this season.
Clark is set to earn nearly $600,000 next season, with a base salary of $597,596. But, because of the EPIC clause in the new CBA, Clark could rise to a max deal in 2027. It is available to players named to first-team or second-team All-WNBA within their first three seasons.
The Fever signed Aliyah Boston to a four-year, $6.3 million contract extension in April 17. She was paid $1 million base salary for her fourth season.
It would be surprising if the Fever don't try and lock Clark down with a similar deal this offseason. She will be a restricted free agent in 2028 if she does not sign an extension, meaning Indiana has the right to match an offer if she negotiates with another team.
WNBA payrolls: Which teams spend the most?
The biggest spenders on roster payroll this season are Las Vegas, Indiana, Minnesota and Dallas.
Those four teams all have a roster worth over $7 million, with Las Vegas topping the list with its $7.5 million payroll.
That roster includes three players at or above the $1 million line, including Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray.
The Aces are the defending champions and are locked in a semifinal series with the Golden State Valkyries in the 2026 WNBA playoffs.
The Lynx had the league’s best regular season record at 33-11, one game ahead of the Valkyries. Their big salaries included Collier, Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams.
The Valkyries, meanwhile, have are among the WNBA’s best teams in 2026 despite having the ninth-highest payroll. In fact, one player is above the $1 million threshold: forward Gabby Williams, whose salary sits at $1.19 million for 2026.
Clark’s Fever had the second-highest payroll this season, led by Mitchell and Aliyah Boston as the $1 million earners. However, the team lost in the first round of the playoffs — although to the only team with a higher payroll, Las Vegas.
This year’s expansion franchises both had wildly different spending strategies — and one worked out better than the other.
The Toronto Tempo’s roster had a combined $7 million payroll, led by million-dollar salaries to Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes and Temi Fagbenle. The Portland Fire, meanwhile, had the league’s lowest payroll at $5.1 million, with just guard Bridget Carleton breaking the $1 million line.
With both Sykes and Mabrey lost to season-ending injuries, the Tempo ended near the bottom of the league with an 11-33 record. The Fire finished as the best of the non-playoff teams at 17-27.
What is the WNBA salary cap in 2026?
The WNBA salary cap is $7 million for 2026.
That’s nearly five times the previous cap of $1.5 million. The steep rise is thanks to the recent CBA, which was ratified by the players before the start of the season in March and is set for seven years.
Several teams go over that line in base salary payroll because their cap hit is still below $7 million. For instance, Las Vegas’ $7.5 million payroll has a total cap hit of $6.99 million.
This difference can be attributed to midseason and rest of season contracts, which have a prorated cap hit while still operating as a different base salary.
In the future, the salary cap will continue to grow depending on league and team revenue growth.
Methodology: USA TODAY pulled data from Spotrac on Oct. 6 to analyze base salary data of players on active rosters. This data was broken down into individual player salaries and then summed for team payrolls. For historical WNBA salary cap levels, USA TODAY relied on past league and WNBPA CBAs and a Washington Post article from 2003.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Average WNBA salary is $518K in 2026. Most players make less
