The MLS is composed of a variety of clubs and teams, each one with its own average salary for players. Toronto FC stands out as the club that currently offers the highest salaries in the MLS, while Nashville SC offers the lowest salaries in the league. Below, you can find a breakdown of the average player salary for all the teams in the MLS.
The Major League Soccer (MLS) offers competitive salaries to its players. Depending on experience and performance, players can earn an average salary of $100,000 – $3 million. However, it is important to note that the MLS has a salary cap of $4.24 million per team.
Toronto FC stands out as the club that currently offers the highest salaries in the MLS, while Nashville SC offers the lowest salaries.
| Team | Average Annual Salary | Yearly Wage Bill |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto FC | $928,477 | $26,925,850 |
| Houston Dynamo | $757,700 | $14,265,000 |
| FC Cincinnati | $685,600 | $12,335,000 |
| Austin FC | $619,700 | $13,267,000 |
| LA Galaxy | $581,250 | $14,544,000 |
| Chicago Fire FC | $573,800 | $18,284,000 |
| St. Louis City SC | $458,400 | $8,718,000 |
| Atlanta United FC | $452,500 | $9,507,000 |
| Portland Timbers | $421,250 | $11,780,000 |
| Los Angeles FC | $387,250 | $9,294,000 |
| Columbus Crew SC | $385,388 | $10,405,500 |
| New York City FC | $384,500 | $9,588,000 |
| Sporting KC | $369,250 | $9,971,000 |
| Seattle Sounders FC | $367,500 | $9,178,500 |
| New England Revolution | $366,500 | $9,529,000 |
| Orlando City SC | $339,925 | $8,838,000 |
| Charlotte FC | $314,600 | $5,978,000 |
| San Jose Earthquakes | $288,050 | $8,642,000 |
| Real Salt Lake | $287,800 | $8,634,000 |
| Philadelphia Union | $261,200 | $6,525,000 |
| New York Red Bulls | $242,250 | $6,783,000 |
| Inter Miami CF | $240,000 | $6,487,000 |
| Minnesota United FC | $238,560 | $5,750,000 |
| Colorado Rapids | $230,925 | $6,235,000 |
| Montreal Impact | $230,250 | $6,645,000 |
| FC Dallas | $225,750 | $5,192,000 |
| DC United | $219,400 | $5,924,500 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | $187,300 | $5,432,000 |
| Nashville SC | $168,300 | $5,050,000 |
Player Salaries – Western & Eastern Conference
Here are the player salaries in the MLS, divided and ranked by the conference.
Western Conference
| Team | Average Salary (Annual) |
|---|---|
| 1. Houston Dynamo | $757,700 |
| 2. Austin FC | $619,700 |
| 3. LA Galaxy | $581,250 |
| 4. St. Louis City SC | $458,400 |
| 5. Portland Timbers | $421,250 |
| 6. Colombus Crew | $385,388 |
| 7. Sporting KC | $369,250 |
| 8. Seattle Sounders FC | $367,500 |
| 9. San Jose Earthquakes | $288,050 |
| 10. Real Salt Lake | $287,800 |
| 11. Minnesota United FC | $238,560 |
| 12. Colorado Rapids | $230,925 |
| 13. FC Dallas | $225,750 |
| 14. Vancouver Whitecaps | $187,300 |
| 15. Nashville SC | $168,300 |
Eastern Conference
| Team | Average Salary (Annual) |
|---|---|
| 1. Toronto FC | $928,477 |
| 2. FC Cincinnati | $685,600 |
| 3. Chicago Fire FC | $573,800 |
| 4. Atlanta United | $452,500 |
| 5. Los Angeles FC | $387,250 |
| 6. New York City FC | $384,500 |
| 7. New England Revolution | $366,500 |
| 8. Orlando City SC | $339,925 |
| 9. Charlotte FC | $314,600 |
| 10. Philadelphia Union | $261,200 |
| 11. New York Red Bulls | $242,250 |
| 12. Inter Miami CF | $240,000 |
| 13. Montreal Impact | $230,250 |
| 14. DC United | $219,400 |
Highest-Paid MLS Players
The pay gap in the MLS is huge; the average MLS player salary is $386,668. You’ll find the 5 highest-paid players in the MLS.
5. Gonzalo Higuain – $5,800,000
4. Michael Bradley – $6,500,000
3. Javier Hernandez – $7,250,000
2. Xherdan Shaqiri – $8,150,000
1. Lorenzo Insigne – $14,000,000
The Major League Soccer, more commonly known as the MLS, is the premier soccer league in North America. It is composed of a variety of clubs and teams, each offering its own average salary for players. While the MLS has a salary cap of $4.24 million per team, salaries can range from $100,000 to $3 million depending on experience and performance.
The MLS is a great opportunity for aspiring soccer players to make a living out of their passion and to make their dreams come true. With Major League Soccer increasing in popularity year after year, the competition for teams and players is getting more and more fierce.
