Caitlin Clark’s Massive WNBA Impact Makes Her $528K Salary Look Extremely Small

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark’s Massive WNBA Impact Makes Her $528K Salary Look Extremely Small

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated May 14, 2026 11:31 AM ET

When Caitlin Clark arrived in the WNBA as the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, her salary as a rookie was $76,535. In her second year, it increased to $78,066.

Now that she's in her third year, Clark's WNBA pay has jumped to $528,846, thanks to the league's new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Despite the massive pay raise she got, however, it's hard to say that Clark is being fairly compensated for the massive impact she has had on the WNBA.

Ever since Clark made it to the pros, she has brought a lot of eyeballs to the league. Merchandise sales increased and viewership reached all-time highs. Despite that, her earnings pale in comparison to how much she generates for the WNBA.

Unfortunately for Clark, it's unlikely that she'll ever be paid appropriately by the WNBA, as USA Today Sports columnist Christine Brennan said in a recent interview with former Team USA goalkeeper and soccer legend Briana Scurry.

"That's not NBA number," Brennan said about WNBA salaries today. "And in probably in my lifetime, it will never be. And maybe yours, and who knows about a kid that's born today, right?"

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts during the first half against the New York Liberty.John Jones-Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark's WNBA Impact

It's worth noting that in Clark's first season, the Fever had the most-watched games ever on ESPN, ABC and CBS Sports. Moreover, all three games that drew attendance figures of over 20,000 that campaign also involved Indiana.

Merchandise sales increased by 601% from 2023, with Clark leading the league in jersey sales. In fact, over the last two years, the Fever star has had the second-best selling basketball jerseys.

Moreover, in an analysis by Ryan Brewer — a valuations expert and finance professor at Indiana University Columbus — Clark accounted for 26.5% of the WNBA's economic activity in her first year.

Brewer proceeded to share that he could see Clark bringing "a billion dollars" in economic impact, per Indianapolis Star.

Clark continues to be a blockbuster draw. The Fever's season-opener against the Dallas Wings drew 2.49 million viewers, the second most-watched WNBA regular season game ever.

Furthermore, a new study by Covers named Clark the most marketable player in the league today, highlighting how the Fever star generates massive interest in the league.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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