What is the average AFL player salary in 2025?

According to the AFL's official figures, the average total player payment for a listed player in 2025 was $505,961 per year. This includes base salary, match payments, and other benefits. The figure is up 10.2% from $459,173 in 2024. Source:.

How is the AFL player salary calculated?

AFL player salaries are governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the AFL and the AFL Players' Association. Each club has a Total Player Payments (TPP) cap, which is the maximum amount they can spend on player salaries and benefits in a given year. The average salary is derived from total player payments divided by the number of listed players. The CBA also sets minimum salaries and other conditions. Source:.

How does an AFL player salary compare to the average Australian wage?

The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings was $2,083.70 per week as of May 2026, according to the ABS. That equates to about $108,352 per year. The average AFL player salary of $505,961 is roughly 4.7 times that. The full-time median wage is about $90,532 per year, and the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $52,255 per year (based on 38 hours per week).

AFL player salary: average earnings in 2025 compared to the national average

AFL player salary: how much do AFL players earn?

AFL players are among the highest-paid athletes in Australia, and the latest figures from the AFL show that average earnings have jumped significantly under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). In 2025, the average total player payment for a listed player was $505,961 per year, according to data released by the league. That’s up 10.2% from $459,173 in 2024.

To put that in perspective using the same format as this site: if you divide the yearly figure by 52 weeks, the average AFL player earns about $9,730 per week. On a standard 38-hour week, that works out to roughly $256 per hour. Of course, AFL players are not paid by the hour – their contracts cover training, games, and other commitments – but this conversion helps compare their earnings with typical full-time workers.

How does an AFL player salary compare to the national average?

The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings, as measured by the ABS in May 2026, was $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year. That means the average AFL player earns roughly 4.7 times the national full-time average.

For context:

The full-time median wage (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025) is about $90,532 per year.
The all-employees median (including part-time) is about $74,100 per year.
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week.

So even the lowest-paid AFL players (those earning under $200,000, of which there were 107 in 2025) earn well above the minimum wage and the median full-time wage.

The salary cap and player payments

AFL clubs operate under a Total Player Payments (TPP) cap, which is set by the AFL in consultation with the AFL Players’ Association under the 2023–2027 CBA. The cap determines the maximum each club can spend on player salaries and benefits in a given year. The average salary has risen sharply because the new CBA increased the cap significantly.

In 2025, total player payments across the league reached $327.65 million, up from $296.3 million in 2024. The number of players earning $1 million or more more than doubled, from 25 in 2024 to 58 in 2025. Two players were paid $1.6 million, and 22 earned over $1.2 million.

Distribution of AFL player salaries

The average is skewed by a small number of very high earners. The AFL’s payment bands show that in 2025:

107 players earned $0–$200,000
187 earned $200,001–$400,000
163 earned $400,001–$600,000
94 earned $600,001–$800,000
54 earned $800,001–$1,000,000
36 earned $1,000,001–$1,200,000
16 earned $1,200,001–$1,400,000
4 earned $1,400,001–$1,600,000
2 earned $1,600,001+

So while the average is high, many players earn well below that figure. The median AFL salary would be lower, likely in the $400,000–$600,000 range.

What about the highest-paid AFL players?

The top earners in 2025 included players like Tom Lynch (Richmond) and Max King (St Kilda), whose payments were inflated by back-ended or front-ended contract structures. The AFL figures reflect actual payments in the year, not the average value of the contract. This means some players may have been paid more in 2025 than their contract’s annual average, as clubs manage their salary cap.

See how your salary compares

If you’re curious how your own pay stacks up against the national average or against AFL players, you can place a salary on the line to see it as a yearly, weekly, and hourly figure, and how far it is from the full-time average. For more detail on how the ABS calculates these averages, visit How the figures are set.

State-by-state comparison

AFL players are employed by clubs based in various states, but their salaries are not tied to state averages. For reference, the full-time average weekly earnings by state (May 2026) are:

New South Wales: $109,658 per year
Victoria: $106,137
Queensland: $106,064
South Australia: $102,450
Western Australia: $115,825
Tasmania: $96,008
Northern Territory: $103,173
Australian Capital Territory: $119,090

These figures come from the ABS and are for all full-time workers, not just AFL players. You can explore more on the States and territories page.

Key takeaways

The average AFL player salary in 2025 was $505,961 per year.
That’s about $9,730 per week or $256 per hour on a 38-hour week equivalent.
It is roughly 4.7 times the national full-time average of $108,352.
The median AFL salary is likely much lower due to the skewed distribution.
The minimum AFL salary (for first-year players) is set by the CBA and is well above the national minimum wage.

For more guides and comparisons, check out the Guides section.