The US Open has become the first Grand Slam tournament to break $100 million in total player compensation. The 2026 purse is $108 million, up 20 percent from $90 million last year, and the singles champions each take home $5.5 million.
The bigger story is at the bottom of the draw. A first-round loss now pays $140,000, up from $110,000 in 2025 and $100,000 in 2024 — more than a lot of players earn from an entire ATP 250 title.
| Round | Players remaining | Prize money (per player) |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | 1 | $5,500,000 |
| Runner-up | 1 | $2,800,000 |
| Semifinalist | 2 | $1,450,000 |
| Quarterfinalist | 4 | $780,000 |
| Fourth round (last 16) | 8 | $480,000 |
| Third round | 16 | $290,000 |
| Second round | 32 | $190,000 |
| First round | 64 | $140,000 |
Figures are per player and identical in the men’s and women’s draws. The US Open has paid equal prize money to men and women since 1973, the first Grand Slam to do so.
Doubles and mixed doubles
| Event | Champions (per pair) | First round (per pair) |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s doubles | $1,000,000 | $35,000 |
| Women’s doubles | $1,000,000 | $35,000 |
| Mixed doubles | $1,000,000 | $40,000 |
How the purse has grown
| Year | Total purse |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $108,000,000 |
| 2025 | $90,000,000 |
| 2024 | $75,000,000 |
| 2023 | $65,000,020 |
| 2022 | $60,102,000 |
| 2019 | $57,238,700 |
| 2014 | $38,251,760 |
| 2004 | $17,750,000 |
How It Compares to the Other Majors
No other Grand Slam is close in dollar terms. The 2026 Australian Open purse is A$111.5 million, Roland-Garros is €61.7 million and Wimbledon is £64.2 million — all of which convert to well under the US Open’s $108 million. The gap at the top is wider still: the US Open singles champion earns substantially more than the winner at any other major, with Wimbledon’s champion the nearest comparison.
One number worth watching is where the increases landed. The champion’s share rose about 10 percent year over year, but the first-round payout jumped roughly 27 percent. That’s a deliberate choice by the USTA to put money into the part of the draw where players are least financially secure, and it’s the same direction all four majors have moved in recently. For dates and rounds, see our 2026 US Open schedule. Official figures are published at USOpen.org.
The Bottom Line
$108 million total, $5.5 million to each singles champion, $2.8 million to the runners-up and $140,000 just for making the first round. Men and women are paid identically at every stage. It is the largest prize pool in the history of the sport and the first time any major has crossed nine figures.