List of Top 10 Richest American Athletes [2025]

In 2025, professional sports finances in the United States have reached the next level, with athletes earning unprecedented amounts of money from contracts, endorsements, and business enterprises. Many of the highest-paid athletes are the biggest names in the NBA, NFL, and PGA and are not only succeeding in sports, but also building personal brands and investment portfolios. This list has been curated based on the Forbes 2025 Richest Atheletes List by extracting the highest paid American athletes from them.

The highest-earning American athletes in 2025 reflect a new era, where income comes in many forms and media, tech, and fashion play a significant role in increasing wealth beyond sports. The highest paid athlete is NBA legend Stephen Curry, followed by NFL QB Dak Prescott, with veteran superstar LeBron James also in the top trio. Here is an overview of the top five American athletes by total earnings in 2025 and how they made their wealth.

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Top 10 Richest American Athletes 

Here is the complete list of the top 10 highest paid athletes along with the sports they play and the total earnings in the year 2025:

1. Stephen Curry - $156 Million

The number one highest-paid American athlete of 2025 is Stephen Curry, who ranked in an incredible $156 million in total income. Curry has been dubbed one of the best shooters in the history of basketball. 

He is still earning good money from the Golden State Warriors and a lifetime deal with Under Armour that comes with a small equity stake and apparel line. Outside of basketball, Curry has also expanded his income with Unanimous Media, a film and television, and digital content production company he started, and invests in tech start-ups, establishing himself as a model athlete-entrepreneur. 

2. Dak Prescott - $137 Million

In 2025, Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys ranked second among the highest-paid American athletes, with total earnings of $137 million. Prescott's main earnings source is likely from his big NFL contract, which had a large guarantee, signing bonus, and guaranteed salary. 

As the most recognizable star in one of the most valuable sports brands in the world, Prescott's marketability is strong. His endorsement deals are with some major brands: Pepsi, Sleep Number, Beats by Dre, and Campbell's Soup. Prescott earns money from his appearances, endorsements, brand partnerships, real estate and various other business ventures.

But the pressure on him on the field, along with the detractors that have been the norm for Prescott, don't reduce his value from a commercial aspect since the NFL's revenue continues growing, along with its new media deals and quarterback-centered teams.

3. LeBron James - $133.8 Million

In 2025, LeBron James, now 40, remains a powerful endorsement for both sports and non-sports companies, making $133.8 million. As he begins to enter the tail end of his NBA career, LeBron's income is less reliant on basketball, and more about his massive empire off the court. 

He developed one of the largest lifetime deals entered into by an athlete in sport history with Nike, who continues to pay him. And he has a media company, SpringHill Entertainment, which produces films, documentaries, and television for a multitude of platforms, including Netflix and HBO. LeBron also owns stake in sports teams, real estate, and start ups. 

4. Kevin Durant - $101.4 Million

Kevin Durant, one of the NBA's most prolific scorers, made $101.4 million in 2025. Some of that number comes from playing contract earnings, but a lot of Durant's net worth has been made through smart investments and other businesses. 

Durant has invested in many tech startups, like Postmates, Coinbase, and Whoop, through his company, Thirty Five Ventures. Additionally, Durant is the co-founder of Boardroom, a media platform that covers sports and athletes' business and culture. 

Durant continues to earn from an endorsement deal with Nike that has gone back many years, alongside deals with Gatorade, Google, and Panini. Based on contributions on the court alone, Durant remains a valuable player and his global fan base only enhances the commercial value of Durant. His approach to business reflects his personality on the floor, level-headed, thoughtful, and logical, thoughtful, and very effective.

5. Scottie Scheffler - $92.5 Million

Scottie Scheffler took an enormous jump in 2025, by accumulating $92.5 million in total earnings, becoming the highest-earning golfer in the United States. He earned it from an amazing year on the PGA Tour where he won several titles and earned more bonus payouts from the FedEx Cup and from the PGA Player Impact Program.

Scheffler is now a high-value endorsement athlete with brands like Nike, Titleist, Rolex, and NetJets. With his consistent calmness and ability to be technically efficient on the golf course, Scheffler performs at a very high level and is one of the most respected players in golf.

His member presence continues to grow within international tournaments and major championships, allowing him to grow his global exposure within the business and sport value.