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We already knew that Coco Gauff was named the most marketable athlete in the world, and that she also earned the biggest payday of any female athlete this year.

But now, we’re getting an idea of just how major the 20-year-old’s estimated 2024 haul truly was after Forbes released its annual list of the highest paid-female athletes in the world.

The American topped the list by quite a margin, leapfrogging last year’s top earner Iga Swiatek, who now occupies the No. 2 spot, and Chinese skiing phenom Ailing Gu by more than $10 million.

Gauff took home an estimated $34.4 million this year according to Forbes, with $9.4 million coming from her on-court earnings—including the record prize purse at WTA Finals Riyadh—and the other $25 million reportedly coming from her massive sponsorship portfolio.

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Gauff's stable of partnerships includes brand like Bose, American Eagle and Carol's Daughter.

In 2024, Gauff added Carol’s Daughter, a natural hair care brand, Fanatics and Naked Juice to her long list of partners, joining blue-chip names like New Balance, Head, Bose, American Eagle and more.

It all adds up to the third-highest earning season ever for a female athlete. Gauff’s $34.4 million in earnings trails behind only Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams, who each peaked at $57.3 million and $45.9 million respectively in 2021.

Women’s tennis players typically dominate earnings lists, and this one is no different with 11 of the Top 20 highest paid female athletes being WTA players. World No. 2 Swiatek ($23.8 million), Zheng QInwen ($20.6 million) and Aryna Sabalenka ($18.7 million) round out Forbes’ Top 5.

According to Forbes, off-field earnings figures are estimates rounded to the nearest $500,000, and are determined through “conversations with industry insiders,” while on-field earnings take into account prize money, bonuses and, in some sports, base salaries.

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With investment and attention on women’s sports rising, Forbes’ list highlights the strides in pay increases, marketing and business opportunities now more available than ever for women’s athletes. Still, it’s a stark reminder of the gap that still exists between the top female athletes and the top male athletes.

Case in point: This year’s Top 20 women—a list that includes Osaka, Emma, Raducanu and Venus Williams, as well as gymnast Simone Biles and golfer Nelly Korda—combined for an estimated total of $258 million in 2024. That’s still less than the $260 million that Cristiano Ronaldo, the highest-paid athlete overall, pocketed in 2024.

All of the Top 10 overall earners made more than $100 million each, a list that includes soccer players Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, as well as basketball stars LeBron James and Stephen Curry.

Forbes’ Top 10 Highest-Paid Female Athletes in 2024:

1. Coco Gauff, Tennis – $34.4M ($9.4M on-field, $25M off-field)
2. Iga Swiatek, Tennis – $23.8M ($8.8M on-field, $15M off-field)
3. Eileen Gu, Freestyle Skiing – $22.1M ($0.1M on-field, $22M off-field)
4. Zheng Qinwen, Tennis – $20.6M ($5.6M on-field, $15M off-field)
5. Aryna Sabalenka, Tennis – $18.7M ($9.7M on-field, $9M off-field)
~6. Naomi Osaka, Tennis – $12.9M ($0.9M on-field, $12M off-field)
~6. Emma Raducanu, Tennis – $12.9M ($0.9M on-field, $12M off-field)
8. Nelly Korda, Golf – $12.5M ($4.5M on-field, $8M off-field)
9. Venus Williams, Tennis – $12.1M ($0.1M on-field, $12M off-field)
10. Simone Biles, Gymnastics – $11.2M ($0.2M on-field, $11M off-field)

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