The list of the highest-paid female athletes 2025 shows that top female athletes are making more money than ever from prize money, endorsements, and business ventures. Tennis stars are at the top of the list, and golfers and basketball players are also joining the global elite.
Women’s sports continues to surge in commercial value and earnings, with the combined income of the top earners rising sharply year-on-year as competition and marketability grow worldwide. With that said, let’s take a look at the highest-paid female athletes 2025, as per Forbes.
1. Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff, a 21-year-old American tennis prodigy, is at the top of the list of the highest-paid female athletes 2025. She made an estimated $33 million in total income, making her the highest-paid female athlete in the world.
Gauff had a great year in 2025, not just because she won a major title at Roland Garros, but also because she had a lot of big endorsements. She made most of her money off the court by working with big companies like New Balance, Bose, and Baker Tilly. This shows how women’s sports are becoming more popular with businesses.
Gauff is at the top of the list of the highest-paid female athletes for the second year in a row. This shows how much power she has in and out of tennis.
ALSO READ: From baggy hoodies to designer fits: The Coco Gauff fashion statement story
2. Aryna Sabalenka
Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka came in second among the highest-paid female athletes in 2025, making about $30 million that year.
Sabalenka’s strong on-court campaign, which included winning multiple titles and fighting for the top rankings for a year, boosted her prize money. She also made a lot of money off the court by signing big deals with luxury and tech brands.
Her consistent performance, along with strategic endorsements, shows how top athletes are combining brand power with competitive success.
ALSO READ: International Media Votes Aryna Sabalenka Player of the Year
3. Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek from Poland is one of the highest-paid female athletes 2025, with an estimated $25.1 million in earnings.
In 2025, Swiatek continued to shine with strong Grand Slam performances, including a historic win at Wimbledon, and deep runs across the tour. This brought in both prize money and commercial interest.
ALSO READ: Iga Swiatek Biography: Childhood, Career and Net Worth
She is one of the most interesting people in women’s sports and a regular on the earnings list because she is both a great athlete and a marketable person.
4. Eileen Gu: Non-Tennis Star in Top Earnings
Tennis players make up most of the highest-paid female athletes 2025, but freestyle skiing star Eileen Gu stands out as a rare non-tennis player with earnings of about $23.1 million.
Gu’s success shows how many different sports women can play to make a lot of money, with most of her money coming from sponsorships.
Her status as one of the highest-paid female athletes 2025 shows how crossover appeal—athletic success plus global branding—can boost earnings in sports other than tennis.
5. Tennis’s Broad Financial Impact: More Top Earners
Many other tennis players, in addition to the top four, made the list of the highest-paid female athletes in 2025. Several of them made more than $10 million each.
- Qinwen Zheng ($22.6M) – a Grand Slam standout from China.
- Madison Keys ($13.4M) – Key tournament results and a steady presence on tour.
- Naomi Osaka ($12.5 million) – a global brand ambassador and has won multiple Grand Slam titles.
- Elena Rybakina ($12.5M) – has a strong serve and has done well on the WTA.
- Jessica Pegula ($12.3M) – Good performance all season long and sponsorships.
These tennis stars helped make sure that the highest-paid female athletes 2025 were still mostly tennis players. Tennis is still the best way for women to make money as a professional.
6. Breaking Through: Stars of Basketball and Golf
Tennis players make the most money, but the 2025 list of the highest-paid female athletes also included top players from golf and basketball, showing that there is more diversity in high earnings:
-
Caitlin Clark ($12.1M): The sensational WNBA talent bridged on-court success with endorsement deals, becoming one of the most visible figures in women’s basketball.
-
Sabrina Ionescu ($10.5M): A standout guard whose performance and marketability secured her a place among top earners.
-
Angel Reese ($9.4M) & Paige Bueckers ($9.1M): Young phenoms from women’s basketball further illustrating the growing commercial strength of the WNBA and related leagues.
-
Nelly Korda ($13.0M) & Jeeno Thitikul ($10.3M): Representing golf, these golfers showcased how endorsement deals and competitive earnings are expanding beyond traditional tennis money
Their place on the list of the highest-paid female athletes 2025 shows how women in sports other than tennis are becoming financially powerful around the world.
Global Representation and Growing Markets
The list of the highest-paid female athletes 2025 shows that women’s sports are becoming more popular around the world in many markets. Players come from the United States, Eastern Europe, China, Poland, Japan, Thailand, and Kazakhstan, which shows that there are now job opportunities on all continents.
This variety suggests that as women’s sports get more popular, thanks to big tournaments, professional leagues, and sponsorships, more athletes from different areas and sports will be able to earn top-tier money.
Women’s Sports Growth and Economic Growth
The financial achievements of the highest-paid female athletes 2025 coincide with broader industry trends, with global women’s sports revenue increasing significantly. For example, women’s professional basketball, tennis and golf are seeing heightened broadcast interest and sponsorship inflows.
That momentum is shown by the fact that the top 20 female athletes made a total of about $293 million, which is a 13% increase from the previous year. The cutoff to make the list also went up, reaching $8.1 million in total payout for the year.
This data shows that the business side of women’s sports is changing in both quantitative and qualitative ways. This is because elite female athletes are becoming more valuable not just for their performance but also for their global brand appeal.
Endorsements: More Important Than Prize Money
One thing that keeps coming up among the highest-paid female athletes 2025 is how much more money they make from endorsements than from playing sports, especially outside of tennis.
Top tennis players make a lot of money in prize money, but many of the highest-paid athletes, especially in golf and basketball, make even more money from sponsorships, licensing, and media deals.
For instance, most of Eileen Gu’s income came from partnerships outside of sports, which shows how important strategic branding and global marketability are for becoming very rich.
Who Missed the Cut and Trends to Watch
Some famous female athletes who didn’t make the list of the highest-paid female athletes 2025 are those who didn’t compete as often or sat out most of the year. For example, Venus Williams wasn’t on the list because she didn’t play much.
This points to another trend that is becoming more common: athletes need to compete regularly and stay in the public eye to make a lot of money.
As leagues and global competitions change, people will be watching to see if female soccer, gymnastics, and track and field athletes start to make the list of the highest-paid female athletes 2025.
Economic Impact Beyond Earnings
The highest-paid female athletes 2025 have an impact that goes far beyond their bank accounts. These athletes are changing how people think about women’s sports, bringing in new fans, making deals with TV networks, and getting big companies to invest in female talent. All of these things are helping the sport grow.
Young athletes can now see ways to make money that they couldn’t have imagined before. New leagues in basketball, golf, and tennis are also benefiting from the visibility and market presence of top earners.
Conclusion
The list of the highest-paid female athletes 2025 not only honors the financial success of each athlete, but it also shows how women’s sports are becoming more valuable in both business and competition.
The time has come for elite female athletes to make a lot of money on a global scale. Stars like Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and others are already making millions.
Their success sets the stage for future generations, showing that being the best at something, having a strong brand, and appealing to people all over the world can lead to making money that was once only available to men.
The momentum of 2025 suggests that the story of women’s sports and the money that its top athletes make is just getting started.
