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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Stephen Curry was the highest-paid American athlete in Forbes’ 2025 ranking, with estimated earnings of $156 million. The figures cover income collected from May 1, 2024, through May 1, 2025—not the 2025 calendar year—and include both on-field and off-field earnings.
Forbes’ 20 highest-paid American athletes in 2025
The table lists the first 20 U.S. athletes in Forbes’ worldwide ranking of the 50 highest-paid athletes. “U.S. order” is their position among those American athletes; “global rank” is their position in the full international list. All amounts are Forbes estimates in U.S. dollars.
| U.S. order | Global rank | Athlete | Sport | Total earnings | On-field | Off-field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | $156 million | $56 million | $100 million |
| 2 | 4 | Dak Prescott | Football | $137 million | $127 million | $10 million |
| 3 | 6 | LeBron James | Basketball | $133.8 million | $48.8 million | $85 million |
| 4 | 10 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | $101.4 million | $51.4 million | $50 million |
| 5 | 14 | Scottie Scheffler | Golf | $92.5 million | $62.5 million | $30 million |
| 6 | 15 | Deshaun Watson | Football | $91.8 million | $90.8 million | $1 million |
| 7 | 18 | Patrick Mahomes | Football | $86.8 million | $58.8 million | $28 million |
| 8 | 19 | Jordan Love | Football | $83 million | $79 million | $4 million |
| 9 | 20 | Jared Goff | Football | $80.8 million | $75.8 million | $5 million |
| 10 | 21 | Trevor Lawrence | Football | $80.5 million | $74.5 million | $6 million |
| 11 | 26 | Justin Herbert | Football | $73.6 million | $63.6 million | $10 million |
| 12 | 27 | Tua Tagovailoa | Football | $72.4 million | $68.4 million | $4 million |
| 13 | 28 | Justin Jefferson | Football | $72.2 million | $68.2 million | $4 million |
| 14 | 29 | Damian Lillard | Basketball | $67.5 million | $49.5 million | $18 million |
| 15 | 30 | Blake Snell | Baseball | $67.4 million | $66.6 million | $0.8 million |
| 16 | 31 | CeeDee Lamb | Football | $66.7 million | $64.2 million | $2.5 million |
| 17 | 32 | Josh Allen | Football | $66.1 million | $60.1 million | $6 million |
| 18 | 33 | Anthony Edwards | Basketball | $62.1 million | $42.1 million | $20 million |
| 19 | 36 | Joel Embiid | Basketball | $60.4 million | $50.4 million | $10 million |
| 20 | 37 | Jimmy Butler | Basketball | $59.8 million | $48.8 million | $11 million |
Source: Forbes’ archived 2025 highest-paid athletes ranking.
What the earnings figures include
Forbes’ ranking captures income athletes collected between May 1, 2024, and May 1, 2025. Its “on-field” and “off-field” categories distinguish playing-related earnings from estimates for endorsements, appearances and other business endeavors. The totals are before taxes and agent fees, so they are not take-home pay. Forbes describes the amounts as estimates, not audited pay statements. Its methodology-period explanation specifies the measurement window.
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#1 Best Overall
What stands out in the U.S. ranking
Curry leads, with a large off-field share
Curry ranks second worldwide and first among Americans at $156 million. Forbes attributes $100 million of that total to off-field earnings and $56 million to on-field earnings. His estimated total is $19 million higher than Prescott’s, the next American on the list.
Prescott’s total is led by on-field earnings
Prescott ranks fourth worldwide and second among U.S. athletes. His $137 million estimate includes $127 million on-field and $10 million off-field, a notably different mix from Curry’s.
Rank #2
Football and basketball dominate
American football accounts for 11 of the 20 athletes, while basketball accounts for seven. Golf’s Scottie Scheffler and baseball’s Blake Snell are the other two. These are overall earnings comparisons, not league salary rankings, because off-field income is included.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How this list differs from salary and net-worth rankings
- It is not a 2025 calendar-year total: the earnings window begins May 1, 2024, and ends May 1, 2025.
- It is not a salary-only ranking: the total combines Forbes’ on-field and off-field estimates.
- It is not a net-worth list: the ranking estimates income over a defined 12-month period rather than the value of an athlete’s assets minus liabilities.
- The global rank and U.S. order answer different questions: for example, Prescott is fourth worldwide but second among the Americans shown here.
For context, Forbes estimated that the full worldwide top 50 earned a combined $4.23 billion during the period. Endorsements, appearances and other business endeavors accounted for a combined $1.04 billion, and $53.6 million was the estimated threshold for entering that global top 50.
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