NRL player salary: minimum pay under the collective bargaining agreement

NRL player salary: how the pay floor works

When you search for an NRL player salary, you are looking at a professional sports industry governed by a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), not the national minimum wage. The Fair Work Commission sets the national minimum wage for award/agreement-free employees, but NRL players are covered by an enterprise agreement negotiated between the NRL and the Rugby League Players’ Association (RLPA). This means the legal minimum pay for an NRL player is the minimum contract amount under the CBA, which is far higher than the $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week that applies to most other workers.

The national minimum wage vs the NRL CBA

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week. Casual employees receive a 25% loading, making it $33.05 per hour. However, these rates do not apply to NRL players because they are not award-free or agreement-free. The CBA sets its own minimums. For the 2023 season, the minimum salary for a player in the Top 30 squad was $120,000 per year, according to the NRL salary cap rules. That works out to about $2,308 per week – more than double the national minimum wage. The CBA also covers minimums for players on development lists, which were $60,000 per year in 2018 and have increased since.

What the NRL salary cap tells us

The NRL salary cap is the total amount a club can spend on its Top 30 players. For 2023, the base salary cap was $11.05 million, plus allowances for veteran/developed players and motor vehicles. The cap rises each year, reaching $11.7 million in 2027. Clubs must spend at least 97.5% of the cap. The minimum Top 30 fee of $120,000 in 2023 is a floor; many players earn much more, especially star players. The CBA also allows players to earn income from sponsors not associated with their club, which is excluded from the salary cap. This means actual earnings can be significantly higher than the minimum.

Superannuation and other benefits

Like all employees, NRL players receive the superannuation guarantee of 12% on top of their ordinary time earnings. For a player on the $120,000 minimum, that adds $14,400 per year to their retirement savings. The CBA also provides for other benefits such as tertiary education fees, relocation costs, and motor vehicle allowances that are not counted towards the salary cap. These extras further increase the total remuneration package.

How NRL player salary compares with the national minimum

The chart above shows the weekly equivalent of the minimum NRL Top 30 salary ($2,308) compared with the national minimum wage ($1,004.90). Even the lowest-paid NRL player earns more than twice the national minimum. However, it is important to remember that NRL players are professional athletes with limited career spans and high physical demands. The CBA minimum reflects the unique nature of the industry. For most Australian workers, the national minimum wage or a modern award rate is the relevant pay floor. If you are not covered by an award or agreement, the national minimum wage applies. You can check Which minimum wage applies to see if you are covered by an award. For detailed rate tables, see Rate tables.

Key takeaways

• NRL players are covered by a CBA, not the national minimum wage.
• The minimum Top 30 salary in 2023 was $120,000 per year.
• Superannuation of 12% is paid on top.
• The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week from 1 July 2026.
• Always check if a modern award or enterprise agreement applies to you – it may set a higher rate than the national minimum.

For the published floors, see the rate tables and how the figures work.