NRL salary cap 2025 and the national full‑time average
The NRL salary cap for 2025 is a team‑based limit on player payments, not a single salary figure. But because the cap sets a floor for the top 30 players at each club, it gives a clear benchmark for how NRL player pay compares to the national full‑time average.
What is the NRL salary cap in 2025?
For the 2025 NRL season, the base salary cap is $11.4 million per club. Adding the veteran and developed player allowance ($300,000) and the motor vehicle allowance ($100,000) brings the total top‑30 salary cap to $11.8 million. This cap applies to the 30 highest‑paid players at each club. The minimum salary for a player in that top 30 in 2025 is $135,000, rising from $130,000 in 2024 and increasing by $5,000 each year until 2027.
How does the NRL minimum compare to the national average?
The national full‑time adult average ordinary‑time earnings is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, multiplied by 52). The NRL top‑30 minimum of $135,000 is about 25% higher than that average. Even the lowest‑paid player in an NRL squad earns more than the typical full‑time Australian worker.
But the average NRL top‑30 player earns much more. Dividing the total cap of $11.8 million by 30 gives an average of about $393,000 per player – more than 3.6 times the national full‑time average. Of course, star players earn far more, while younger or developing players earn closer to the minimum.
What moves NRL pay above or below the average?
Being in the NRL top 30 almost guarantees pay above the national average. However, not all professional rugby league players are in the top 30. Clubs also have development lists and train‑and‑trial players who earn less. Those players may earn below the national full‑time average, especially if they are part‑time or on match‑payment deals.
Outside the salary cap, players can earn unlimited amounts from independent corporate sponsors – as long as the sponsor is not associated with the club and does not use NRL intellectual property. These outside earnings can push a player’s total income well above the cap figure. But they are not guaranteed and depend on individual marketability.
How the figures are set
The national full‑time average comes from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, which measures the level of average earnings in Australia at a point in time. The May 2026 release shows a 3.7% annual increase to $2,083.70 per week for full‑time adults. The NRL salary cap is set through collective bargaining between the league and the Rugby League Players Association, with a five‑year agreement covering 2023–2027.
For a broader view of how different jobs and industries compare, see Place a salary on the line or explore How the figures are set.
Other benchmarks
- Full‑time median: $90,532 per year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). The NRL minimum of $135,000 is well above this median too.
- All‑employees median: $74,100 per year – again, far below the NRL minimum.
- National minimum wage: $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, about $52,255 per year (Fair Work, from 1 July 2026). The NRL minimum is more than 2.5 times the national minimum.
State comparisons
State full‑time averages range from $96,008 in Tasmania to $119,090 in the ACT. The NRL minimum of $135,000 exceeds every state average. Even in the highest‑paying state (ACT), the NRL minimum is about 13% higher.
Summary
The NRL salary cap for 2025 sets a high floor for player pay. The minimum top‑30 salary of $135,000 is clearly above the national full‑time average, and the average top‑30 player earns several times that. For players outside the top 30, earnings can fall below the average, but the cap structure ensures that the most prominent players are well compensated relative to the broader workforce.