WNBA Salaries Set to Quadruple Under New Deal
Abir Gangal
Edited by Amelie Choy
Published: April 7th, 2026
The WNBA is entering its 30th season with a new seven-year labour deal, and for the first time in league history, the money is starting to match the moment. It’s not just good news for players — it’s a landmark moment for the sport itself.
For years, women’s basketball had the talent, the fans, and the momentum. What it lacked was the pay that reflected any of it. Now, that finally seems to be changing. Under the new deal issued by the WNBA, the league says average salary is expected to reach about $583,000 in 2026 and rise to more than $1 million by 2032. Maximum salaries will start at $1.4 million and grow past $2.4 million by the end of the agreement.
| Caitlin Clark at 2025 All-Star game
That is what makes this historic. It’s not just a raise; it’s proof that the WNBA is finally starting to pay players like a league that believes in its own future. The new agreement raises minimum and rookie salaries, improves benefits, and commits more resources to staffing and long-term player development. It also includes a potential $500,000 payday for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. The agreement isn’t just good news for players, — it matters for the league, too. Better pay helps keep stars at home, makes the WNBA more attractive to future talent and proves that women’s basketball is no longer growing only in theory. It’s growing in dollars, power and permanence.
The league is getting bigger, the players are getting paid, and the message is only getting louder.
For once, the WNBA’s success is not just visible — it’s measurable.
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