NIL in 2025: What the Data Really Tells Us About Player Pay and Program Strategy
We’ve all seen the headlines: quarterbacks with seven-figure NIL deals, splashy car commercials, and flashy social media rollouts. But as much as those stories grab attention, they don’t tell the full picture of what’s actually happening across Power 4 college football.
Thanks to new data from Opendorse’s “College Football Kickoff” report reported on by NIL Wire, we finally have a broader and more realistic sense of where NIL money is going, how much players are really making, and how schools are trying to keep up.
Let’s dig into the numbers, and talk about what they actually mean.
NIL Earnings Are Exploding
Here’s what total player earnings looked like over the past five years:
2021: $393 million
2022: $666.6 million
2023: $839.6 million
2024: $1 billion
2025 (projected): $1.9 billion
That jump from $393 million to nearly $2 billion in just four years shows how radically fast the economics of college sports are evolving. And according to the data, most of that $1 billion in 2024 came from collectives, not traditional endorsements or brand deals.
Collective earnings were more than five times larger than commercial NIL revenue last year. But that’s starting to shift, especially with the House settlement now placing guardrails around what collectives can do.
In 2025, commercial NIL activity is expected to grow by $70 million, while collective activity slows. Revenue sharing is also coming into play now, which is why total player earnings are projected to nearly double this year.
Players Are Getting a Bigger Slice of the Pie
One of the most eye-opening stats? Players in the Power 4 are now earning 13.1% of their schools’ football revenue. In the Group of Six, that number is even slightly higher, at 13.3%.
That kind of revenue shift has forced athletic departments to get creative. As The Athletic recently reported, ADs are asking how to maximize everything from premium seating and ticket sales to merchandise, branded content, and partnerships.
Let’s look at a few examples of how schools are making it happen.
Ohio State is leaning into data to rethink how it targets fans and deploys assets like stadium seating and fundraising events.
Texas led the nation in ticket sales revenue last year.
Missouri topped the list in fundraising totals.
Indiana signed a 20-year, $50 million naming rights deal with Merchant Bank for its football stadium.
Auburn partnered with Dude Wipes, naming QB Jackson Arnold a brand ambassador with stadium-wide signage and activations.
Florida, Syracuse, TCU, Ohio State, and Alabama landed deals with Evan Williams Bourbon, which include branded bars, signage, and tailgate events.
Who’s Getting the Revenue Share?
Another trend worth watching is how schools are allocating revenue-sharing budgets across positions. Here’s the breakdown by conference:
Big 12
Quarterbacks: 23.1%
Defensive Backs: 14.4%
Wide Receivers: 11.5%
Running Backs: 10.8%
Big Ten
Wide Receivers: 16.8%
Offensive Linemen: 15.5%
Quarterbacks: 14.4%
Defensive Backs: 13.1%
ACC
Quarterbacks: 19.4%
Offensive Linemen: 17.0%
Wide Receivers: 16.3%
Defensive Linemen: 15.5%
SEC
Wide Receivers: 15.9%
Defensive Linemen: 15.5%
Quarterbacks: 15.1%
Offensive Linemen: 14.4%
Each conference appears to be making choices based on its style of play and marketability, but quarterbacks - not surprisingly - remain top earners across the board.
Most Players Are Not Millionaires
For all the talk about players raking in massive deals, the reality is this: the majority of college football players are not making big money. Here’s how the income distribution shakes out for Power 4 athletes:
66.5% earn less than $10,000
16.1% earn $10,000 to $49,000
7.4% earn $50,000 to $99,000
9.1% earn $100,000 to $499,000
0.6% earn $500,000 to $999,000
0.3% earn over $1 million
So yes, there are players getting real money. But more than two-thirds of Power 4 players are earning less than a used Honda Civic each year. NIL isn’t just about big contracts, it’s also about dozens of guys making just enough to upgrade their meal plan, pay for travel, or send a little money home.
And while ESPN and social media might focus on the 0.3%, the lived reality for most athletes is much closer to working-class than influencer elite.
What It All Means
The NIL era has undoubtedly changed college football forever. Revenue is finally flowing more directly to players. Schools are racing to build new business models that can support both their budgets and their athletes. Donors are now asked to give not just for scholarships or facilities but also to fund opt-in revenue pools and athlete payments.
And amidst it all, schools and student-athletes are navigating a landscape that’s still being shaped in real-time.
But context matters. This isn’t just a world of million-dollar deals and flashy headlines. It’s a world where most players are still making modest amounts, where positions are valued differently across conferences, and where schools are under immense pressure to stretch every dollar.
This data, pulled from NIL Wire’s summary of the Opendorse report, provides one of the clearest snapshots we’ve seen yet. It reminds us that college football is not just a spectacle. It’s also a rapidly evolving marketplace - one where everyone is still learning what the new normal really looks like.
