The answer runs from zero to more than $6 million, and the shape of that range matters more than any single number. A few dozen players, nearly all quarterbacks at major programs, earn seven figures. Starters at Power Four schools commonly earn six figures once the school’s revenue share is added to outside NIL. Most of a 105 man roster earns four or five figures, and a walk on at a Group of Five school may earn nothing beyond a scholarship. The published valuations that generate headlines are estimates, not contracts.
The Ranges
| Tier | Typical total, revenue share plus NIL | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Elite Power Four quarterbacks | $2 million to $6 million or more | Fewer than a dozen |
| Power Four starting quarterbacks, top receivers and edge rushers | $1 million to $2 million | A few dozen |
| Power Four starters | $150,000 to $750,000 | Several hundred |
| Power Four rotation players and backups | $25,000 to $150,000 | Most of the roster |
| Group of Five starters | $10,000 to $100,000 | Varies widely by school |
| Depth players, walk ons, FCS | $0 to a few thousand, plus licensing fees | The majority of all college football players |
Ranges are Legion Report estimates drawn from published valuations, reported revenue sharing allocations and clearinghouse data. Individual contracts are not public.
The Top of the Market
Arch Manning at Texas is the highest earner in the sport, with an On3 valuation of $6.8 million for 2025-26 and reported 2025 NIL income above $6 million, more than the base salary of several NFL starting quarterbacks on rookie contracts. His deals include Red Bull, Uber, Raising Cane’s, Warby Parker, Panini and Google. Behind him the 2025-26 valuations had Carson Beck at Miami at $4.3 million, Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State at $4.2 million and Garrett Nussmeier at LSU at $3.7 million. Quarterbacks dominate because they are the most visible player on every snap and carry the media obligations brands pay for. Our page on college pay versus NFL rookie salaries covers that comparison.
Where the School Money Goes
Each school that opted into the House settlement can pay its athletes up to $21.3 million in 2026-27, and at most Power Four programs football takes about 75 percent of that, roughly $16 million. Spread across a 105 man roster that would be about $150,000 each, but it is not spread evenly. A starting quarterback might take $1 million or more of the pool, the offensive line collectively several million, and the bottom third of the roster very little. Texas Tech publicly allocated 74 percent of its pool to football. Manning took a reduced share of Texas’s pool for 2026, reportedly so more could go to his linemen. Our page on revenue sharing covers the cap.
What the Clearinghouse Numbers Show
Through July 1, 2026 the NIL Go clearinghouse had approved 34,195 third party deals worth $355 million across all Division I sports, an average of about $10,400 per deal. That is the visible market. The same period saw 1,812 deals worth about $90 million rejected, an average near $50,000, which is a rough picture of what collectives were still trying to pay. The total NIL market is estimated well above $1 billion a year, which means most of it either predates enforcement or does not pass through the clearinghouse.
Roster Budgets
Reported total roster costs for 2026, combining revenue sharing, retention payments and cleared NIL, run from about $20 million at the low end of the Power Four to more than $50 million at the top, with Texas most often cited near the ceiling. Those figures come from industry estimates rather than audited disclosures, but the direction is not in dispute: the cost of a competitive Power Four roster roughly doubled between 2023 and 2026, and the schools spending $40 million or more are the ones in the playoff conversation.
What a Typical Player Sees
A three year starter at a mid tier Power Four program in 2026 might hold a revenue share contract worth $200,000 to $400,000 a year, a handful of local deals worth $10,000 to $50,000 combined, and a licensing cheque from the EA Sports game. A freshman backup at the same school might have a $25,000 revenue share and nothing else. A starter at a Group of Five program with a modest opt in might have $30,000 from the school and $5,000 in local deals. None of them are paid a wage, all of them are paid as independent contractors, and all of it is taxable. Our page on NIL and taxes covers that.
The Bottom Line
College football pay in 2026 runs from more than $6 million for Arch Manning to nothing for most walk ons, with Power Four starters commonly in the low to mid six figures once school revenue sharing and outside NIL are combined. The school pool is capped at $21.3 million and football takes about three quarters of it; outside NIL is uncapped but screened. The published valuations are estimates, the contracts are private, and the gap between the top and the middle of the sport is wider than in any professional league. Our page on how NIL works covers the mechanics behind the money.