How much money do WNBA players make in salary?

The WNBA, which is owned by the NBA, keeps tight control over players' salaries. Through a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the league and the players, maximum and minimum salaries are set. 

Teams in the WNBA, many owned by the league (which again is owned by the NBA), also have salary caps. The maximum amount, and the minimum amount, a team can spend each season on salaries is also spelled out in the agreement.

So how does all that translate into actual salaries for individual players? Because the maximum amount of salary a player can earn is spelled right out in the CBA, it's not too hard to figure out how much each player is making. For example, let's look at 2010 WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson.

Lauren Jackson's WNBA Earnings in 2010

Lauren Jackson is now playing in her 11th season in the WNBA. In the CBA, veteran players with six or more years of service qualify for the highest maximum salary. In 2010, the highest maximum salary allowed in the WNBA was $101,500. Since Lauren Jackson is the best player in the league, we can be pretty confident she was paid the maximum amount allowed.

The WNBA also offers players bonus money for winning awards, and being in the playoffs. In 2010, Lauren Jackson earned $38,000 in bonus money ($15,000 for being MVP, $10,000 for being All-WNBA First Team, $10,500 for being a member of the WNBA Champion Seattle Storm, and $2,500 for being an all-star). So Lauren Jackson earned $139,500 in salary and bonuses playing in the WNBA in 2010.

Of course players can also earn money from endorsement deals separate from their salaries. Also many WNBA players

play in other professional leagues for women around the world. In addition to the WNBA, Lauren Jackson has also played professionally in Russia, Korea and Australia.

How Much Will Cappie Pondexter Make in Salary in 2011?

Cappie Pondexter plays for my favorite WNBA team, the New York Liberty. Cappie is now playing in her sixth season in the league. She is not yet a six year veteran, so she cannot get the maximum salary like Lauren Jackson does. However, the CBA also sets a maximum salary amount for all other players besides six year veterans. And that maximum is just $2,500 below the six year veteran maximum.

Since Cappie Pondexter is the best player on the Liberty, and one of the best players in the league, we can be pretty sure she is making the maximum allowed for a player without six years service yet. That maximum for 2011 is $101,000. That is just $2,500 less than the maximum a six year veteran like Lauren Jackson can get in 2011, $103,500.

So Cappie Pondexter will make $101,000 in salary in 2011 playing for the New York Liberty. Plus whatever bonus money she will earn.

Team Salary Caps

According to the CBA, all teams in the WNBA in 2011 must spend between $819,000 and $852,000 on players salaries. So all teams must play their players at least $819,000 collectively in salaries in 2011, and cannot exceed $852,000 collectively in salaries.

Maximum and Minimum Salaries

As discussed above, the maximum salary a six year veteran in the WNBA can make in 2011 is $103,500. For a player with under six years of service, the maximum salary is $101,000 in 2011.

The CBA also sets minimum salaries for players. Any WNBA player with zero years of service must be paid at least $36,570 in 2011. All second year players must be paid at least $37,301. All players with three years service time must be paid at least $53,000 in 2011.

Rookies, second year and third year players are guaranteed more money than these minimums, based upon where they were drafted (if I'm reading the CBA correctly). Players taken with the first four overall picks in the draft are guaranteed $46,708 in salary their rookie year, and then a sliding scale that guarantees them at least $59,552 in their fourth year in the league.

Summation of WNBA Players Salaries

The WNBA keeps a tight reign on players salaries, and how much money each team can, and must, spend on salaries. In 2011, teams must spend at least $819,000 on salaries, but can spend no more than $852,000.

Veteran players with six years of service can make a maximum of $103,500 in salary (plus any bonus money accumulated). Those same veterans are guaranteed to make at least $53,000 in salary in 2011. Players with under six years of service can make a max of $101,000. Players with three years of service are guaranteed a minimum of $53,000 in salary.

Players with under three years of service are guaranteed to make at least $36,570 in salary. The guaranteed salaries for under three years of service players are higher for players based upon where they were taken in the WNBA Draft.