PBA Salary Cap Structure, Ranges & Highest Earners in 2024

2024/07/31

This blog will go through the details of the salary structure, payout system, and salary ranges for the players and teams participating in the Philippine Basketball Association competitions. Further, we will discuss the highest earners in the PBA, along with their specific salaries and comparisons of salaries in the PBA with those of other top basketball leagues on the Asian continent.

PBA Salary Cap Structure, Ranges & Highest Earners in 2024

PBA Salary Cap of Teams and Player Salary Structure

In the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association), there is a team salary cap of ₱50 million that all teams are bound to use, as per the PBA news 2024. Players sign uniform contracts with a maximum salary of ₱420,000 per month. Contract durations can range from a minimum of one month to a maximum of three years.

The lowest salary allowed under these contracts is ₱70,000 per month. These salary regulations help to make sure that there is a level of fairness and financial stability within the league by controlling team spending and player salaries.

In the PBA, the top three drafted rookies have the opportunity to sign a maximum contract. However, other rookies are limited to specific salary structures:

  • First-year monthly salary of ₱200,000
  • Second-year monthly salary of ₱250,000

How does the PBA Player Salary System work?

In the PBA, the salary system of the players works on certain principles and there are various conditions and circumstances that can impact the salary of the players in the competition. The basketballers in the PBA get paid based on their experience, skills, and how well they play. 

Besides this, this competition follows a PBA salary cap, which means teams can only spend a certain amount on player salaries. This particular limit of the PBA player salary cap is decided by the PBA management committee, and each team is allowed to spend a certain amount of money on their players as a salary.

This makes sure each team has a fair share of talent and players to make the competition more effective. This salary cap also depends on how much money the league makes overall.

Players in the PBA are divided into three groups: A, B, and C. Category A players are the big stars, super experienced, and really good at the game. They receive a hefty amount of money for playing the matches for their respective teams.

Category B players are also good but not quite at the superstar level, so they get paid a bit less. Category C players are usually the rookies who are newer to the game and the league, so compared to other top categories, they are offered low salaries.

PBA Salary Cap and Ranges

According to PBA news 2024, each team has a salary cap of ₱50 million per season. This means they can't spend more than that on player salaries throughout the year. While there's a salary cap, individual player salaries are also capped at ₱420,000 a month. However, what a player actually earns depends on factors like their experience, skills, and how popular they are. 

For rookies, who are new to the league, they can only earn up to ₱200,000 a month in their first year. After that, their earnings can increase based on their performance and standing in the league.

As we already discussed, In the PBA, how much players earn depends on their category and experience. 

  1. Category A Players:
    • This category includes the most skilled and experienced. PBA player salary 2024 for category A players ranges from PHP 420,000 ($8,500 USD) each month to PHP 5,040,000 ($102,000 USD) per year. 
  2. Category B Players:
    • The B category comprises players who are also good but not at the top level and who can earn up to PHP 255,000 ($5,200 USD) monthly to PHP 3,060,000 ($62,000 USD) annually.
  3. Category C Players:
    • In this category, there are players that are newer and less experienced and can make up to PHP 150,000 ($3,000 USD) monthly to PHP 1,800,000 ($36,000 USD) annually.

It's important to know that these PBA salary cap and ranges can change. Each year, the categories of the players are changed depending on their performances in the previous season. Therefore, a player might earn more or less in the next year's competition as per his performance. Players who play really well might negotiate for higher pay, while those who don't perform as well could earn less.

List of Highest Paid Players in the PBA:

This list discusses the domestic players who are the highest earners of the PBA as per the recent PBA news 2024, along with their achievement in the competition over the years.

Player Name Team Salary
June Mar Fajardo San Miguel Beermen ₱60 million
Greg Slaughter NorthPort Batang Pier ₱45 million
Calvin Abueva Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters ₱35 million
Asi Taulava Meralco Bolts ₱30 million
Arwind Santos San Miguel Beermen ₱25 million
Stanley Pringle TNT Tropang Giga ₱20 million
Terrence Romeo TNT Tropang Giga ₱18 million
Jayson Castro TNT Tropang Giga ₱16 million
Marcio Lassiter San Miguel Beermen ₱15 million
Christian Standhardinger NorthPort Batang Pier ₱12 million


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PBA Salary Comparison with Other Asian Basketball Leagues

In comparison to other basketball leagues in Asia, the salaries in the PBA are quite competitive. However, when compared to the Chinese Basketball Association's (CBA), China's top league, the difference is significant. Top level players in the CBA can earn up to $3 million a year, which is much higher than the PBA salary cap.

In Japan's B.League, top players can earn up to $1.5 million annually. While this is comparable to PBA salaries, it's important to note that the PBA has a structured and fair salary system. According to PBA news 2024, the salaries may not be as high as those in other leagues, but PBA players are still among the highest-paid athletes in the Philippines.

Additional Benefits for PBA Players

Besides their salaries, PBA players receive bonuses for achievements such as winning games, qualifying for the playoffs, or winning the league and other competitions. They also enjoy additional benefits, including:

  • Housing Benefits
  • Medical insurance
  • Retirement plans

These extra perks contribute to the overall attractiveness of playing in the PBA.

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