From $85K to $528K: Caitlin Clark's 521% Pay Rise After New WNBA Deal — Yet She Still Isn't the Highest-Paid

When she joined the WNBA in 2024, there was no question that Caitlin Clark would take the league by storm. Considering she was one of the best female collegiate players known globally today, the Indiana Fever arguably scored big taking in the Iowa native.

However, Clark needed to go through the process – particularly in the financial sense. Being a rookie, she had to settle for a base salary that averaged $84,514 (£64,884), a meagre amount for someone hailed as the face of the league.

Thankfully, the 24-year-old rakes in millions from endorsement deals and other endeavours to make up for that meagre annual salary. Once her rookie-scale salary runs out, Clark is expected to be among the highest-paid players in the WNBA.

But thanks to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement announced by the WNBA, Clark may not have to wait that long to get a much-deserved pay raise. She along with several other players will see a significant jump in remuneration for the 2026-27 season.

In the case of Clark, her new salary is projected to jump as high as $528,000 (£399,118) in 2026, a 521% increase from her previous salary. This is mainly due to the WNBA's Exceptional Performance of Initial Contract (EPIC) clause.

The EPIC clause allows elite young players on rookie-scale contracts to renegotiate their deals and move to max or supermax salaries before their fourth year. Without question, Clark fits that perfectly and arguably deserves it.

Clark Still Not Top Paid WNBA Player

While that 521% increase in her current salary is welcome news, it still doesn't make the top pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft the highest-paid player in the league. That honor belongs to her Indiana teammate, Aliyah Boston who saw her $94,000 (£71,055) salary balloon to $574,000 (£433,890) per Spotrac.

The second highest-paid player after Boston is Diamond Miller of the Dallas Wings who will be earning $536,588 (£405,610) in 2026. Clark ranks third after Boston and Miller.

Regardless, Clark is unlikely to fret about being the third-highest-paid WNBA player for now. With tons of endorsement deals on her end, it would not be surprising if she would be earning more outside playing basketball.

When Will Clark be Max-Eligible?

Also, Clark can just go through the motions for the coming season and consider her options in 2027. She will be max-eligible in 2027, a right she earned after earning All-WNBA honors in 2024 based on EPIC provisions.

Should that be the case, Clark could see her annual salary go as high as $1.3 million in 2027. After that, she could sign for a $1.7 million supermax deal in 2028. There is a possibility the Fever point guard could earn more, although that would depend on the league salary cap, which will be based on league revenue per Yahoo Sports.

It is also worth noting that bonuses are not yet included in those earnings. Making the All-WNBA first team again would mean an additional $30,000 for her. Winning the MVP would be gratifying as well, equivalent to $60,000.

The 2026 WNBA season is scheduled to tip off on 8 May. After being limited last season to just 13 regular-season games due to a groin injury, Clark is expected to make up for lost time. And with a huge pay rise, the two-time AP Player of the Year is expected to be more motivated than ever.