Highest

The interest in women’s sports has surged dramatically in recent times, highlighted by unprecedented TV ratings, attendance figures, sponsorship deals, and evaluations of franchises across various sports associations. As a result, financial opportunities for athletes are also increasing.

In 2024, the 15 highest-earning female athletes in the world are projected to make approximately $221 million, reflecting a 27% increase compared to the previous year. This year, eleven female athletes surpassed earnings of $10 million, a rise from six in 2023.

Tennis icon Coco Gauff holds the top spot for the second consecutive year with $30.4 million in earnings from prize money and endorsements. She is now one of just three female athletes in sports history to exceed $30 million in a year, joining Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams.

Overall, athletes from five distinct sports are represented, led by tennis with nine athletes featured. Golf showcases three athletes in the top 15, while skiing (Eileen Gu), basketball (Caitlin Clark), and gymnastics (Simone Biles) each contributed one athlete to the ranking.

Clark ($11.1 million) makes her debut on this list after a remarkable collegiate journey at Iowa, which saw her securing over a dozen NIL deals. Many of these partnerships—including Nike, Gatorade, State Farm, and Panini—have carried over into her professional career, where she was drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever.

Nike stands out as Clark’s most lucrative endorsement. In April, the athletic brand entered into an eight-year agreement worth more than $3 million annually with the anticipated WNBA Rookie of the Year. Clark further collaborates with Wilson, Hy-Vee, Xfinity, Gainbridge, and Lilly.

Gauff did not have the best showing during the Grand Slam events this year, achieving semifinal appearances at both the Australian Open and French Open—although she did claim the doubles title in France. Nonetheless, the 20-year-old clinched three championships in 2024, including the richest event in the sport. Gauff triumphed over Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 in the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, netting $4.805 million—marking the highest payout ever for a women’s tennis match.

Gauff garnered $9.4 million in prize money while more than doubling her off-court income. She secured two additional contracts this year, signing a multiyear agreement with L’Oreal to promote its natural hair care brand Carol’s Daughter and joining juice company Naked as its chief smoothie officer (CSO), which also includes an equity stake in the company.

Coco holds the number one position, but her title may soon be contested by rising star Zheng, who earned an approximate $20.6 million, of which $15 million is attributed to off-court activities. Zheng enjoyed victories in two WTA tournaments and reached the finals at three others, including the Australian Open, with her significant achievement occurring in Paris at the Olympics. She made history as the first Asian tennis player, male or female, to secure an Olympic gold in singles, leading to substantial bonuses from sponsors and new contracts that are expected to elevate her earnings in 2025. Her endorsement portfolio features a dozen partners, primarily Nike.

The endorsement opportunities in China present a lucrative avenue for emerging athletes and have contributed to the financial successes of Emma Raducanu and Eileen Gu, both of whom have Chinese heritage. Zheng becomes just the second Chinese tennis player to make it into the top 10 after Li Na, whose endorsement earnings were nearly $20 million annually following her victories at the French Open (2011) and Wimbledon (2014). Much like Li, Zheng is represented by IMG, which has established networks in China through its previous engagements.

Another athlete rising rapidly is Nelly Korda ($10.4 million). The world’s leading golfer achieved a remarkable streak of five consecutive wins early this year and secured seven titles overall across 16 events, making her the first American since Beth Daniel in 1990 to accomplish seven wins in a single season. Her notable performances, along with appearances at the Met Gala and in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, have turned Korda into a crossover sensation in 2024. Her impressive results have also enhanced her income through sponsor bonuses, with partners including Nike, T-Mobile, TaylorMade, Goldman Sachs, Delta Airlines, Cisco, Grant Thornton, Whoop, US LBM, and LivPur. In July, travel brand Tumi enlisted Korda as a brand ambassador.

Zheng and Korda represent a youthful demographic that is achieving remarkable financial success. On average, the top 15 earners are 25 years of age, with Jessica Pegula being the oldest at 30. In comparison, the cohort of the 100 highest-paid male athletes last year had an average age of 31, with ten athletes over 38 years old making the list.

A number of other female athletes surpassed $6 million in earnings, according to Sportico‘s evaluation, but narrowly missed out on the top 15, including Czech tennis star Barbora Krejcikova, soccer player Alex Morgan, and WNBA standout Sabrina Ionescu.

The earnings reflect prize money, salaries, and bonuses accrued in 2024 for active athletes, taking into account Olympic medal payouts and prize money from the Billie Jean King Cup. Venus Williams is still technically active but has only played two matches early this year and has largely stepped away from competitive play. While she is not on the list due to limited matches, her substantial income from corporate speaking engagements would have placed her within the rankings based on her earnings.

The estimates for endorsement earnings were derived from discussions with individuals knowledgeable about marketing agreements and also encompass royalties, memorabilia, appearance fees, and ventures linked to their celebrity status. The amount cited is before taxes and any agent commissions.

1. Coco Gauff: $30.4 million

Prize money: $9.4 million | Endorsements: $21 million | Age: 20

Gauff initially partnered with New Balance at age 14. In 2022, the Boston-based company revamped her contract, making it one of the richest in women’s sports with an extension lasting over five years. This summer, they released her second signature shoe. Her additional sponsors include UPS, Head, Barilla, Baker Tilly, Bose, Rolex, L’Oréal, and Naked.

2. Eileen Gu: $22.1 million

Prize money: $62,000 | Endorsements: $22 million | Age: 21

Gu, who was born in the U.S., began representing China in 2019, influenced by her mother’s heritage. Leading up to the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, she collaborated with over 20 brands and was featured on the covers of China’s editions of InStyle, Marie Claire, and Vogue—she recently appeared on the cover of Hong Kong Vogue for a third time. Gu remains a marketing powerhouse in between Olympic games, boasting a significant global sponsorship with Porsche as her latest major agreement.

3. Iga Świątek: $21.4 million

Prize money: $8.4 million | Endorsements: $13 million | Age: 23

Poland’s Świątek secured the second position in the year-end WTA rankings after dominating the previous two seasons. She clinched her third consecutive French Open title and fourth in total. In a partnership with the Swiss brand On, Świątek launched a new tennis apparel line. Unfortunately, in November, the International Tennis Integrity Agency handed Świątek a one-month suspension after she tested positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine, resulting in the forfeiture of $158,944 in prize money from the Cincinnati Open, the first tournament she entered following the positive result.

4. Zheng Qinwen: $20.6 million

Prize money: $5.6 million | Endorsements: $15 million | Age: 22

Zheng was honored as the WTA’s Newcomer of the Year in 2022, secured her first event win in 2023, and made her Grand Slam finals debut in Australia this year. Currently ranked fifth globally, she boasts an impressive array of endorsements including Nike, Lancome, Gatorade, Wilson, McDonald’s, Rolex, Alipay, Tencent, and more. In November, she achieved her highest on-court earnings with a runner-up finish at the WTA Finals, earning $2.3 million.

5. Aryna Sabalenka: $17.7 million

Prize money: $9.7 million | Endorsements: $8 million | Age: 26

Sabalenka became the 16th unique woman to be ranked as the year-end WTA No. 1. Her remarkable year included victories at two Grand Slam events: the Australian Open and U.S. Open. These accomplishments triggered generous bonuses from her major sponsor, Nike. Other partners of hers include Wilson, Whoop, Maestro Dobel Tequila, and Oakberry USA. With a career prize money total of $30.1 million, Sabalenka ranks 10th in all-time earnings.

6. Naomi Osaka: $15.9 million

Prize money: $870,000 | Endorsements: $15 million | Age: 27

Osaka returned to the tennis circuit in 2024 after taking a year off for the birth of her daughter, Shai. Her list of brand partners continues to include Nike, Louis Vuitton, TAG Heuer, Panasonic, Beats, Crate & Barrel, Hyperice, Morinaga, and Bobbie baby formula. This year, she also became an investor and brand ambassador for Zico Coconut Water.

7. Emma Raducanu: $14.7 million

Prize money: $671,000 | Endorsements: $14 million | Age: 22

Raducanu made her return to the WTA Tour this season following injuries that kept her out for the last eight months of 2023. She has struggled to replicate her groundbreaking 2021 U.S. Open victory, with just one trip past the second round in a Grand Slam since then. Her income from Nike has been affected by her drop in rankings, yet she retains a strong sponsorship portfolio that continues to attract partnerships, leveraging her dual U.K.-Canada citizenship and fluency in Mandarin. Notable partnerships established after her Open triumph include HSBC, Tiffany, British Airways, Dior, Vodafone, Porsche, and Evian.

8. Nelly Korda: $14.4 million

Prize money: $4.4 million | Endorsements: $10 million | Age: 26

T-Mobile initiated a sponsorship agreement with Korda in early 2023. The wireless company featured her in a broadly aired iPhone advertisement in June while she was achieving her five-tournament win streak. A T-Mobile spokesperson stated, “We saw Nelly as our ‘Caitlin Clark’ in golf, so we seized the chance to highlight her and reaffirm our commitment to equality in sports.”

9. Simone Biles: $11.1 million

Prize money: $135,000 | Endorsements: $11 million | Age: 27

The most decorated gymnast in history added four more Olympic medals to her collection, including three golds in Paris. Biles attracts numerous sponsorship opportunities, boasting an endorsement list that includes Athleta, Eli Lilly, GK Elite, K18, MasterClass, Nulo, Powerade, Spieth America, and Visa in 2024. Her earnings experienced a boost due to the four-part Netflix documentary Simone Biles Rising, as well as corporate speaking engagements and her role as a headliner on the Gold Over America Tour.

10. Caitlin Clark: $11.1 million

Salary/bonus: $100,000 | Endorsements: $11 million | Age: 22

During her rookie season with the Indiana Fever, Clark secured a base salary of $76,535. The WNBA’s salary structure allows for performance bonuses that enhanced her basketball-related earnings to around $100,000. Notably, her selection to the All-WNBA first team earned her the largest bonus of $10,300, and she is recognized as the first rookie chosen since Candace Parker in 2008.

11. Jasmine Paolini: $10 million

Prize money: $6.5 million | Endorsements: $3.5 million | Age: 28

Paolini had a breakout season after previously not advancing past the second round of a Grand Slam in her first 12 years as a professional. This year, she reached the finals at both the French Open and Wimbledon. She also played a key role in her country’s success by winning a doubles gold medal at the Paris Olympics and leading Italy to a title in the Billie Jean King Cup, where she and her teammates shared $2.5 million in prize money. These finals performances and her year-end No. 4 ranking unlocked additional bonuses from sponsors.

12. Jeeno Thitikul: $9.1 million

Prize money: $7.1 million | Endorsements: $2 million | Age: 21

Thitikul enjoyed two massive paydays last month, totaling $5 million. She secured a $1 million bonus from the Aon Risk Reward Challenge, which rewards players based on their performance on a designated hole each week. On top of that, she won the year-end CME Group Tour Championship, which awarded $4 million in prize money, the largest in women’s golf history. Prior to 2024, she had earned $3.7 million.

13. Jessica Pegula: $8.2 million

Prize money: $4.2 million | Endorsements: $4 million | Age: 30

After six consecutive losses, Pegula made her way past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time at the 2024 U.S. Open, reaching the final before falling to Sabalenka. As a result, she received a career-high payout of $1.8 million for being the runner-up. Adidas is her principal endorsement, with additional representation from Yonex and Ready Nutrition. Pegula is also the founder of her skincare brand Ready 24.

14. Elena Rybakina: $7.9 million

Prize money: $3.9 million | Endorsements: $4 million | Age: 25

The 2022 Wimbledon champion captured three titles in 2024—Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, and Stuttgart—and made it to the finals in Miami and Doha. The Kazakhstani tennis player faced illnesses and injuries during the latter half of the year yet still qualified for the year-end WTA Finals. She transitioned from Adidas to Yonex for her apparel needs in 2023 and utilizes a Yonex racket. Red Bull and Bank RBK are notable partners of hers.

15. Lydia Ko: $6.7 million

Prize money: $3.2 million | Endorsements: $3.5 million | Age: 27

Ko experienced a revival this year, having won her first tournament at 15 and once ranked No. 1 in the world at 17. She claimed four victories this year, including a major title (AIG Women’s Open) and an Olympic gold medal—alongside a silver and bronze, making her the only golfer to win all three medals at three separate Olympic Games. Her achievementsqualified her for the LPGA Hall of Fame, where she became the second-youngest member inducted behind Karrie Webb. Throughout her career, Ko’s prize money has amassed to $20.1 million, ranking fourth all-time, and she is just $2.4 million away from surpassing Annika Sorenstam.