Things Caitlin Clark can’t buy with her criminally-low WNBA salary
By Matt Sidney
Caitlin Clark has already done more for the WNBA in one-plus season than most players do in a decade. She’s breaking records, packing arenas, spiking TV ratings, and pushing the league into the national spotlight in ways that executives could only dream about five years ago.
Since her debut, attendance has skyrocketed, national broadcasts are seeing historic ratings bumps, and the Indiana Fever’s franchise value has reportedly quadrupled. And in return for all that undeniable value? She’s making $78,066. That’s not a typo. That’s her actual salary in 2025 as the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
The WNBA’s rookie pay scale, set by the collective bargaining agreement, locks in salaries based on draft slot. Top picks like Clark aren’t negotiating for millions — they’re automatically assigned a contract with barely more earning power than the average entry-level job in a major U.S. city. And unlike NBA rookie deals, which come with guaranteed money and signing bonuses well into seven figures, WNBA contracts come with far less security and even less flexibility. Clark is scheduled to make just under $340,000 over four years.
This isn’t a Caitlin Clark problem — it’s a league-wide issue. But her situation makes the absurdity impossible to ignore. She’s one of the most recognizable athletes in the country right now, a cultural phenomenon, and she’s earning less than the average real estate agent in Indiana. Endorsements are helping her cash flow, sure. But if we’re just talking about her actual basketball income? There are entire sections of the economy she can’t access without swiping someone else’s card. It’s absurd, but it’s also reality.
5 things Caitlin Clark can’t comfortably afford on her WNBA salary
Buy a new luxury car
The 2025 Range Rover Sport starts around $80,000 before taxes, fees, or optional upgrades. Clark’s 2025 salary with the Fever? $78,066. Even if she wanted to spend every single dollar she earned on a single vehicle, she’d still fall short. It’s a small detail, but a sharp reminder: her on-court income doesn’t give her access to the kind of everyday luxuries many would assume come standard for a star athlete.
Afford a down payment on a modest home in most cities
The U.S. median home price is hovering around $420,000. A standard 20% down payment on that comes out to $84,000—more than her entire WNBA salary for the year. If Clark wanted to purchase a starter home for herself or a family member, she’d have to either finance every penny or pull from endorsement money to make it happen. That shouldn’t be necessary for the soon-to-be face of a league.
Buy her parents a home
For many first-overall picks, one of the proudest moments is being able to buy their family a house. While it's not a requirement, it's a gesture that symbolizes they made it. Clark, despite being the most recognizable figure in women’s basketball, would need to lean on outside earnings just to help with the down payment to give back to those who helped get her here.
Purchase courtside seats to major sporting events
A courtside ticket to a big-name NBA game can easily run $5,000 to $10,000. A few outings like that and her entire annual salary is gone. Clark is one of the most influential athletes in the country right now—and yet the cost of watching another game (say a Pacers playoff game) up close would eat the paycheck she earns for playing in said games.
Splurge on high-end jewelry or a designer watch
A high-end watch, a meaningful piece of jewelry, or even a rare bottle of whiskey isn’t extravagant by pro athlete standards. It’s the kind of personal milestone purchase people make to celebrate success. But with prices easily reaching $20,000-plus, one gesture like that would cost Clark nearly a third of her salary.
Caitlin Clark’s going to be fine. The endorsements are flowing, and her future earning potential looks as strong as her stat lines. But the fact that she needs off-court deals to access the kind of lifestyle many would assume comes standard with being the No. 1 pick? That says plenty. The salary structure may be the norm, but that doesn’t mean it makes sense—not now, and definitely not for someone doing this much for the league.