How lucky could one guy be to…make $11,700 in his first year out college?? Well, this one certainly looks thrilled. OK, so being the top pick in this afternoon’s MLS Draft will probably make a kid richer than the amount mentioned above, which was the average salary in the league during the 2006 season, according to the Washington Post. (And for a solid illustration on how it is to live on a standard MLS paycheck, pull up the 2006 Daily Breeze feature “Low-Cost League” by Bob Holtzman, a former colleague of mine, on that newspaper’s Web site.)
But here’s a breakdown that was released on the Associated Press wire yesterday illustrating Major League Baseball’s, um, “evolving” pay scale through the decades…
NEW YORK (AP) — Average baseball salary as compiled by the Major League Baseball Players Association and the minimum salary. For 1979-2000, salary deferrals without interest are discounted at 9 percent per year. For 1987-2000, signing bonuses are increased at 9 percent per year. Starting in 2001, salary deferrals, buyouts and bonuses have been increased or discounted to the prime rate in effect on the Nov. 1 following the season plus 1 percent:
Year Minimum Average
1967 $6,000 $19,000
1968 $10,000 NA
1969 $10,000 $24,909
1970 $12,000 $29,303
1971 $12,750 $31,543
1972 $13,500 $34,092
1973 $15,000 $36,566
1974 $15,000 $40,839
1975 $16,000 $44,676
1976 $19,000 $51,501
1977 $19,000 $76,066
1978 $21,000 $99,876
1979 $21,000 $113,558
1980 $30,000 $143,756
1981 $32,500 $185,651
1982 $33,500 $241,497
1983 $35,000 $289,194
1984 $40,000 $329,408
1985 $60,000 $371,571
1986 $60,000 $412,520
1987 $62,500 $412,454
1988 $62,500 $438,729
1989 $68,000 $497,254
1990 $100,000 $597,537
1991 $100,000 $851,492
1992 $109,000 $1,028,667
1993 $109,000 $1,076,089
1994 $109,000 $1,168,263
1995 $109,000 $1,110,766
1996 $122,667 $1,119,981
1997 $150,000 $1,336,609
1998 $170,000 $1,398,831
1999 $200,000 $1,611,166
2000 $200,000 $1,895,630
2001 $200,000 $2,138,896
2002 $200,000 $2,295,649
2003 $300,000 $2,372,189
2004 $300,000 $2,313,535
2005 $316,000 $2,476,589
2006 $327,000 $2,699,292
2007 $380,000 $2,824,751
