Student athletes are getting paid
by Dan Holmes,
June 09, 2025
The foundation of college athletics, especially that of football and basketball, is transforming rapidly. The levers of power are being shifted in favor of athletes, as many of them finally receive pay for their performance. How they may earn even more in the near future is the subject of this college pay for play guide.
The Revolution Will Be Televised, Sponsored, and Streamed on TikTok
Not too long ago, the idea of a college quarterback landing a million-dollar deal with a car dealership would’ve been considered fantasy. But today? It’s Tuesday. College athletes getting paid is no longer a scandal—it’s the new normal. NIL deals and the transfer portal have many sports fans scratching their heads and asking themselves how and why they love college athletics.
Let’s start with the basics. NIL stands for Name, Image, and Likeness. NCAA athletes can now profit from theirs—whether that’s signing autographs, promoting energy drinks, or launching their own clothing lines. NIL deals and the transfer portal have many sports fans scratching their heads and asking themselves how and why they love college athletics. Yes, the game’s changed—but college loyalty? That’s still up for grabs.
Do College Athletes Get Paid? Finally, Yes.
In the age of amateurism, do student athletes get paid was a question met with a hard “no.” Scholarships were the ceiling. But now? From endorsement deals to sponsored Instagram posts, college athletes getting paid is not just legal—it’s celebrated.
Even non-superstars can earn. Female athletes, niche sports stars, and charismatic benchwarmers have found ways to monetize their followings. The future isn’t just for five-star recruits—it’s for five-star personalities.
The Economics Behind the Change
The old model—universities earning billions while players got tuition—crumbled under legal pressure, public outcry, and one unavoidable truth: the players are the product. Supreme Court rulings and state legislation cleared the path. What we now have is a decentralized, capitalist frontier where athletes can negotiate their worth.
Who Are the Highest Paid College Athletes?
Welcome to the new royalty:
- Bronny James (USC) – LeBron’s son, reportedly millions in NIL value
- Arch Manning (Texas) – Quarterback prodigy with legacy appeal
- Livvy Dunne (LSU) – Gymnastics meets influencer stardom
The highest paid college athletes aren’t just talented—they’re marketable. They’re young, branded, and everywhere.
But Should We Really Pay College Athletes?
This debate could fuel a semester-long ethics course. Some argue that paying college athletes commodifies education. Others point out the hypocrisy of millionaire coaches and billion-dollar TV contracts.
Here’s a thought: if a chemistry major can monetize their YouTube channel, why can’t a point guard do the same? In 2025, to pay college athletes is to recognize the value they bring to an industry that’s been pretending it isn’t one.
The Role of the Transfer Portal
The winds of change whip through the landscape of college athletics, and at the eye of this swirling phenomenon sits the NCAA Transfer Portal. Once a whisper, it’s now a roar, reshaping rosters and rewriting narratives with unprecedented speed. Imagine a bustling digital marketplace, a dynamic hub where athletes, for a myriad of reasons, declare their availability, their names flashing across screens accessible to coaches nationwide.
For the uninitiated, the Transfer Portal, launched in 2018, aimed to streamline the process by which student-athletes could inform their current institution of their desire to explore other options. Before its inception, the process could feel shrouded in mystery, a clandestine dance between players and potential new programs. The portal brought transparency, a centralized platform that, in theory, simplified communication and leveled the playing field.
But the portal is far more than just a logistical tool; it’s a cultural force. It embodies the growing agency of the modern student-athlete, empowering them to seek environments where they feel they can thrive, be it for playing time, coaching philosophy, academic pursuits, or simply a change of scenery. The one-time transfer rule, granting immediate eligibility in most sports, has only amplified this power shift.
Consider the stories etched into the portal’s digital fabric. The quarterback seeking a program where his skills are a better fit, the basketball player yearning for a different team culture, the softball star wanting to be closer to family. Each entry represents a personal journey, a calculus of ambition, opportunity, and sometimes, disappointment.
For coaches, the portal presents a double-edged sword. It offers a rapid avenue to address roster needs, to plug gaps with experienced talent. A struggling team can find an immediate injection of skill; a program on the cusp can add the final piece of the puzzle. Yet, it also introduces instability. The constant churn can make long-term team building a precarious endeavor, with coaches perpetually navigating potential departures and the allure of other programs for their current players.
The implications ripple outwards, affecting recruiting strategies, team dynamics, and even the very definition of loyalty in college sports. The portal has undeniably democratized player movement, yet it also raises questions about the long-term impact on team cohesion and the development of players within a single system.
As the digital doors of the Transfer Portal continue to spin, one thing remains certain: it has irrevocably altered the landscape of college athletics, creating a more fluid, and perhaps more unpredictable, era for athletes, coaches, and fans alike. The stories it generates are ongoing, each transfer a new chapter in the ever-evolving saga of collegiate competition.
Think of it as free agency with dorm rooms. Athletes can transfer without losing eligibility, creating an open market that adds a new layer of chaos—and opportunity. Coaches are suddenly recruiters, salespeople, and sometimes talent agents.
The transfer portal is where dreams, scholarships, and NIL ambitions collide in a blur of Twitter announcements.
The Future of College Athletics
Will it stabilize? Maybe. But college sports are now part of the creator economy. Expect more athletes launching brands, signing with agencies, and turning eligibility into equity.
In recent years, some iconic college coaches have retired in part at least, to the advent of the transfer portal era. Nick Saban and Mike Krzyzewski, to name two Hall of Fame coaches, have turned away from college sports just as money has become a bigger factor in building a roster.
Want to track your favorite rising stars? Check out the best college basketball betting sites and watch how talent shifts with every NIL wave.
One List to Rule Them All: New Realities of Paying Players
- Athletes can profit—finally.
- Transfers are strategic, not desperate.
- Social media = income stream.
- Universities are adapting… slowly.
- The NCAA? Still figuring it out.
To pay college athletes is not the end of innocence—it’s the beginning of transparency. In the words of philosopher Eric Hoffer, “In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future.”
College athletes are no longer just students with scholarships. They are learners, leaders, and yes—earners. And love it or loathe it, this is the game now.