Average MLB Salaries Compared to Average U.S. Household Salaries

Reader Appreciation Article

Ask and I will try to deliver. I was asked to relate the average salary per U.S. household to the average salary per Major League Baseball Player. I hope I’ve presented the information you asked for in a manner that makes sense.

U.S. Household Income:

The 50^th percentile has ranged right at $40,000 per year since the 1970’s.

In 1970 the median income was $35,832.

In 2003 the median income was $43,318.

The 80^th percentile has ranged from $60,000 per year in 1970 to the upper $80,000’s per year in the 2000’s.

In 1970 the average median income was $60,148.

In 2003 the average median income was $86,867.

Major League Baseball Salaries:

In 1970 the average Major League Baseball salary was $20,000.

In 2005 the average Major League Baseball salary was $3,154,000; an increase of 15,770%.

National Basketball Association;

In 1991 the average salary was $575,000.

Now the average salary is $5,200,000, an increase of 904%.

Tiger Woods is the first athlete to earn over a billion dollars from prize winnings and endorsements.

List of highest paid MLB players through the years:

1979 Nolan Ryan $1,170,000, Houston Astros

1985 Eddie Murray $2,600,000, Baltimore Orioles

1989 Orel Hershiser $2,633,333 Los Angeles Dodgers (February)

1989 *Kirby Puckett was the first “$3 million dollar man”, Ricky Henderson 2nd

1989 Mark Davis $3,250,000 Kansas City Royals (December)

1990 Jose Canseco $4,700,000 Oakland Athletics

1991 Roger Clemens $5,380,000 Boston Red Sox

1992 Ryne Sandberg $7,100,000 Chicago Cubs

1996 Ken Griffey Jr. $8,500,000 Seattle Mariners

1997 Greg Maddux $11,500,000 Atlanta Braves

1998 Mo Vaughn $13,333,333 Anaheim Angels

1998 Kevin Brown $15,000,000 Los Angeles Dodgers

2000 Roger Clemens $15,450,000 New York Yankees (August)

2000 Alex Rodriguez $25,200,000 Texas Rangers (December)

2007 Alex Rodriguez $27,500,000 New York Yankees

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Thanks for reading. HogManInLA