Women’s Woeful Wages: WNBA vs. NBA Salaries

Paul Marsh
5 min readJul 7, 2024

When will talent be enough for women to command as much income as men?

Caitlin Clark answers media questions after being drafted during the 2024 WNBA Draft.
JazzyJoeyD on Wikimedia Commons

No matter who you are or what walk of life you come from, no one likes being underpaid.

It’s why so many of us change jobs every few years. You realize your current employer isn’t valuing your skillset the way they’re supposed to when you find out someone with less experience gets paid more than you do.

Personally, it’s never felt good to know my race can be (and has been) a determining factor in whether or not I was worthy of a job or salary increase.

The last time this happened, I was treated with professional disdain, despite my numerous qualifications and ability to match past experiences and accomplishments with the core functions of the role — a manager at a newly built car wash facility in Northwest Arkansas. I walked away dejected, knowing something as superficial as my complexion kept me from getting the role.

As harsh as this was, I’ll never know what it’s like to be a woman in the workplace. As uncomfortable as it is, I know I earn more because I’m a male.

A disappointing reality

I’ve said it time and again in my work — I’m an avid fan of womankind.

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Paul Marsh

Native of Philly now living in the Midwest. Writing has been part of my life for 26 years. Avid reader. Fitness nut. Hopeful romantic. Superb cook. Word nerd.