After the WNBA and WNBPA reached a new tentative collective bargaining agreement on March 21, several stars like Caitlin Clark are reportedly set to have a bump in salary.
According to Spotrac, Clark signed a four-year, $338,056 contract after getting drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever in 2024. She earned $76,535 as a rookie, which increased to $78,066 last season.
For her third season, Clark was supposed to have a salary of $85,973. But due to the new CBA, her new salary is six times bigger.
Clark’s New Salary
GettyCaitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever reacts after a basket against the Atlanta Dream during the second quarter at State Farm Arena on May 22, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported that the new CBA contained a provision called EPIC, or Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract. The new provision was designed to fast-track the salary increase for high-performing players, such as Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese and Aliyah Boston, among others.
Clark’s new salary for the 2026 season will go from $85,973 to $528,846. It will rise to $597,596 in her final season before restricted free agency in 2027. Due to EPIC, the Iowa product is projected to earn $1.3 million in 2027 because she was already named to the All-WNBA First Team as a rookie.
As for 2028, Clark is eligible for another salary bump of a $1.7 million supermax contract. Based on projections, the maximum salary could reach up to $2.4 million by 2023 due to league revenue sharing.
There’s no denying that Clark is quite possibly the most popular WNBA star in the world today. Despite her measly salary and limited playing time due to injuries last season, she was among the highest-earning female athletes in the world.
Clark Places Sixth in Highest-Earning List of 2026
Getty ImagesLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 21: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever looks on from the bench against the Las Vegas Aces in the second quarter of Game One of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs semifinals at Michelob ULTRA Arena on September 21, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico, Clark was the sixth-highest-earning female athlete in the world in 2026. She reportedly earned an estimated $16 million, mainly due to sponsorship, since her contract and bonus for the Fever was just a total of $116,000.
“In August, Nike announced Clark as its latest signature athlete, with a new signature logo, a collection of sportswear and apparel, and a signature sneaker to debut in 2026. She joined fellow Nike athletes A’ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu as active WNBA players with signature sneakers. Clark’s other sponsors include Gatorade, State Farm, Wilson, Panini America, Hy-Vee, Xfinity, Gainbridge and Lilly,” Badenhausen wrote.
No other WNBA star made the Top 15 list. Tennis stars dominated the list, with Coco Gauff at No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka at No. 2, Iga Swiatek at No. 3 and Zheng Qinwen at No. 5.
Other tennis stars on the list include Madison Keys, Elena Rybakina, Naomi Osaka, Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula and Venus Williams.
Chinese-American freestyle skier Eileen Gu was at No. 4, while golfers Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul, and gymnast Simone Biles were also part of the Top 15.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Fever Star Caitlin Clark Receives Huge Raise After New WNBA CBA appeared first on Heavy Sports.