MLS Players Association releases 2023 salary guide

The MLS Players Association released their 2023 Spring-Summer salary guide on Tuesday. The guide lists base salary and guaranteed compensation data for all 869 players under contract with MLS in 2023, and is current as of April 30, 2023.

The original release can be found here, and we’ve created a spreadsheet version here.

Nashville SC Gear at MLSStore.com
NameClubPositionBase SalaryGuaranteed Compensation
1Xherdan ShaqiriChicago FireM$7,350,000.00$8,153,000.00
2Lorenzo InsigneToronto FCF$7,500,000.00$7,500,000.00
3ChicharitoLA GalaxyF$6,000,000.00$7,443,750.00
4Federico BernardeschiToronto FCF$3,125,000.00$6,295,381.00
5Sebastián DriussiAustin FCM$3,800,000.00$6,022,500.00
6Héctor HerreraHouston DynamoM$4,750,000.00$5,246,875.00
7Douglas CostaLA GalaxyF$3,000,000.00$4,508,333.00
8Luiz AraújoAtlanta UnitedF$3,600,000.00$4,483,333.00
9Christian BentekeDC UnitedF$4,250,000.00$4,432,778.00
10Josef MartínezInter MiamiF$4,000,000.00$4,391,667.00
11Lucas ZelarayánColumbus CrewM$3,200,000.00$3,800,000.00
12Carles GilNew England RevolutionM$3,250,000.00$3,545,833.00
13Rodolfo PizarroInter MiamiM$3,050,000.00$3,350,000.00
14Carlos VelaLAFCF$3,000,000.00$3,337,500.00
15Nicolás LodeiroSeattle Sounders FCM$2,640,000.00$3,256,667.00
16Raúl RuidíazSeattle Sounders FCF$2,472,000.00$3,201,120.00
17Hany MukhtarNashville SCM$2,900,000.00$3,188,750.00
18Jozy AltidoreNew England RevolutionF$2,381,139.00$2,939,963.00
19Cucho HernándezColumbus CrewF$2,600,000.00$2,886,000.00
20Gustavo BouNew England RevolutionF$2,500,000.00$2,675,000.00

Hany Mukhtar tops the list of Nashville SC players. After signing a new Designated Player contract that will keep him in Nashville through 2025, the reigning MLS MVP saw nearly a 40% increase from his prior deal.

NamePositionBase SalaryGuaranteed CompensationChange from 2022
Hany MukhtarM$2,900,000$3,188,75039.59%
Walker ZimmermanD$1,800,000$2,056,979-14.01%
Randall LealF$1,000,000$1,115,00023.77%
Sean DavisM$825,000$939,00032.11%
Aníbal GodoyD$750,000$821,250-6.09%
Shaq MooreD$725,000$806,5003.36%
Fafà PicaultF$650,000$650,0007.69%*
Daniel LovitzD$551,250$551,2509.52%
Alex MuylF$500,000$500,00033.69%
Teal BunburyF$425,000$469,1675.33%
Joe WillisGK$375,000$391,25019.17%
Dax McCartyM$275,000$302,500-71.07%
Brian AnungaM$250,000$270,00034.81%
Ján GregušM$240,000$266,750-145.55%*
Nick DePuyD$252,000$252,0008.33%*
Jack MaherD$200,000$231,00071.00%
Ethan ZubakF$195,000$209,00037.80%
Jacob ShaffelburgF$150,000$195,00030.00%
Taylor WashingtonD$98,688$112,2694.19%
Josh BauerD$89,716$89,71625.63%
Elliot PaniccoGK$89,716$89,7164.76%
Luke HaakensonF$88,200$88,2004.76%
Laurence WykeD$85,444$87,777
Ben MartinoGK$67,360$87,610
Lukas MacNaughtonD$85,444$87,5441.65%*
Nebiyou PerryF$67,360$74,860
Joey SkinnerD$67,360$72,360
Kemy AmicheF$67,360$67,360
Tyler FreemanF$67,360$67,360-67.01%*
Ahmed LongmireD$67,360$67,3602.76%
*Prior contract not with Nashville

From a league-wide perspective, Nashville SC rank 18th in MLS in terms of salary expenditure. It should be noted, though, that this does not include additional costs like transfer fees and allocation money spent.

ClubSalary Spend
1Toronto FC$25,741,930
2LA Galaxy$23,463,025
3Atlanta United$21,257,396
4DC United$20,016,591
5Austin FC$19,922,021
6Chicago Fire$19,515,479
7Seattle Sounders FC$18,947,463
8New England Revolution$18,909,273
9Inter Miami$18,055,548
10LAFC$17,483,012
11Houston Dynamo$17,252,231
12Columbus Crew$16,060,111
13Sporting Kansas City$15,454,335
14New York City FC$15,448,629
15FC Cincinnati$15,087,380
16Portland Timbers$14,449,409
17FC Dallas$14,399,519
18Nashville SC$13,976,528
19Charlotte FC$13,473,928
20Colorado Rapids$13,106,961
21San Jose Earthquakes$13,022,374
22Philadelphia Union$12,804,172
23Vancouver Whitecaps$12,746,625
24Minnesota United$12,285,685
25Real Salt Lake$12,138,719
26Orlando City SC$11,227,559
27New York Red Bulls$11,163,066
28St. Louis City SC$10,933,074
29CF Montréal$10,511,926

We’ll have more analysis on the salary guide shortly.

Author: Ben Wrightis the Director of Soccer Content and a Senior MLS Contributor for Broadway Sports covering Nashville SC and the US National Team. Previously Ben was the editor and a founder of Speedway Soccer, where he has covered Nashville SC and their time in USL before journeying to Major League Soccer since 2018. Raised in Louisville, KY Ben grew up playing before a knee injury ended his competitive career. When he is not talking soccer he is probably producing music, drinking coffee or hanging out with his wife and kids. Mastodon

Leave a Reply