Pickleball pros earn more than highest-paid WNBA player, more than the NWSL salaries; here’s how much they get paid

Pickleball is making waves in in the United States with the professional players getting higher salary paycheques than National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) stars annually.  

According to the Major League Pickleball (MLP), the average salary for more than 60 women in the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour was approximately $2.6 million, which was much higher than highest-paid Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) player’s annual salary and more than double that of an average salary of National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) stars.

Based on a Front Office Sports report from April this year, Las Vegas Aces star and a two-time WNBA champion Jackie Young is the top-paid WNBA player with an annual earning of $252,450. Seattle Storm star, Jewell Loyd follows Young in the second spot at $245,508 annually. 

On the other hand, the NWSL, according to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, said on Thursday that the minimum salary in the league has been raised from $48,500 in 2025 to $82,500 by 2030.

The professional Pickleball has come a long way since its inception. One of the major reasons for the sport to gain attraction is the merger between PPA and MLP, thus creating a United Pickleball Association. 

Despite the merger, both PPA Tour and MLP have retained their own brands. While an individual bracket-style tour forms the PPA Tour, the MLP is based in a team-wise format.

How much a top-ranked pickcleball star earns?

For world No.1 Ben Johns, his annual earning shot up for $2.5 million in 2021, as said in an interview with CNBC. In fact, 17-year-old, Anna Leigh Waters is set to topple Johns to become the highest-paid pickleball player in 2024, according to her agent Kelly Wolf. 

Based on her agency, Leigh Waters is set to earn more than $3 million in 2024, more than Johns.