• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 09:15
CEST 15:15
KST 22:15
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Serral wins EWC 202538Tournament Spotlight: FEL Cracow 202510Power Rank - Esports World Cup 202580RSL Season 1 - Final Week9[ASL19] Finals Recap: Standing Tall15
Community News
Weekly Cups (Jul 28-Aug 3): herO doubles up4LiuLi Cup - August 2025 Tournaments3[BSL 2025] H2 - Team Wars, Weeklies & SB Ladder10EWC 2025 - Replay Pack4Google Play ASL (Season 20) Announced55
StarCraft 2
General
Weekly Cups (Jul 28-Aug 3): herO doubles up How to leave Master league - bug fix? Serral wins EWC 2025 The GOAT ranking of GOAT rankings Interview with Chris "ChanmanV" Chan
Tourneys
$5,000 WardiTV Summer Championship 2025 Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament LiuLi Cup - August 2025 Tournaments Sea Duckling Open (Global, Bronze-Diamond) TaeJa vs Creator Bo7 SC Evo Showmatch
Strategy
Custom Maps
External Content
Mutation # 485 Death from Below Mutation # 484 Magnetic Pull Mutation #239 Bad Weather Mutation # 483 Kill Bot Wars
Brood War
General
BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion How do the new Battle.net ranks translate? Nobody gona talk about this year crazy qualifiers? [BSL 2025] H2 - Team Wars, Weeklies & SB Ladder
Tourneys
[ASL20] Online Qualifiers Day 2 [Megathread] Daily Proleagues Cosmonarchy Pro Showmatches [ASL20] Online Qualifiers Day 1
Strategy
[G] Mineral Boosting Muta micro map competition Does 1 second matter in StarCraft? Simple Questions, Simple Answers
Other Games
General Games
THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION TO CRYPTO RECOVERY WITH PRO Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Total Annihilation Server - TAForever Nintendo Switch Thread Beyond All Reason
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine US Politics Mega-thread European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread 9/11 Anniversary Possible Al Qaeda Attack on 9/11
Fan Clubs
INnoVation Fan Club SKT1 Classic Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Anime Discussion Thread [\m/] Heavy Metal Thread Movie Discussion! Korean Music Discussion
Sports
Formula 1 Discussion 2024 - 2025 Football Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Gtx660 graphics card replacement Installation of Windows 10 suck at "just a moment" Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
TeamLiquid Team Shirt On Sale The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Sharpening the Filtration…
frozenclaw
ASL S20 English Commentary…
namkraft
The Link Between Fitness and…
TrAiDoS
momentary artworks from des…
tankgirl
from making sc maps to makin…
Husyelt
StarCraft improvement
iopq
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 686 users

KeSPA reveals average salary for progamers

Forum Index > SC2 General
Post a Reply
1 2 3 4 5 6 Next All
Thouhastmail
Profile Joined March 2015
Korea (North)876 Posts
Last Edited: 2015-12-24 08:06:01
December 24 2015 05:54 GMT
#1
http://e-sports.or.kr

[image loading]

As stated above, Kespa revealed the average salary for progamers in order to correct the misleading report from Korea Creative Content Agency.

This excludes prizes, winning incentives and streaming incomes; considering this, the actual average income of SC2 progamers will be about $50K for a year.


SC2(Jinair, SKT, KT, Samsung, CJ) players:

25 players

Average incomes for 2016: $45.88K

Players who get more than $100K: 0
"Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people we personally dislike"
RoninKenshin
Profile Joined November 2010
Canada97 Posts
December 24 2015 05:58 GMT
#2
Wow, after all these years. Does anyone know if there's a minimum salary for the practice partners? I assume there's some massive wage disparity between stars and scrubs.
I'm with e-sports
bduddy
Profile Joined May 2012
United States1326 Posts
December 24 2015 05:58 GMT
#3
So only the top teams (no MVP or SBENU, let alone Prime or foreign teams), and not even all of them if there were only 25. Only counted A-teamers I guess. Great transparency, KeSPA...
>Liquid'Nazgul: Of course you are completely right
Draconicfire
Profile Joined May 2010
Canada2562 Posts
December 24 2015 05:59 GMT
#4
That's a pretty good number, but the sample size is way too low.

Also the discrepancy between StarCraft and League is quite interesting.
@Drayxs | Drayxs.221 | Drayxs#1802
Thouhastmail
Profile Joined March 2015
Korea (North)876 Posts
Last Edited: 2015-12-24 06:01:23
December 24 2015 06:00 GMT
#5
On December 24 2015 14:58 RoninKenshin wrote:
Wow, after all these years. Does anyone know if there's a minimum salary for the practice partners? I assume there's some massive wage disparity between stars and scrubs.


$300 per month, at most.

On December 24 2015 14:58 bduddy wrote:
So only the top teams (no MVP or SBENU, let alone Prime or foreign teams), and not even all of them if there were only 25. Only counted A-teamers I guess. Great transparency, KeSPA...


No. If it is 25, it includes everyone in those 5 teams.
"Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people we personally dislike"
JBright
Profile Joined September 2010
Vancouver14381 Posts
December 24 2015 06:00 GMT
#6
http://www.liquidlegends.net/forum/lol-general/500629-korea-esports-report

There's some other info here and a link to the full report pdf.
ModeratorThe good and the wise lead quiet lives. Neo's #1 Frenemy and nightmare.
bGr.MetHiX
Profile Joined February 2011
Bulgaria511 Posts
Last Edited: 2015-12-24 06:04:00
December 24 2015 06:01 GMT
#7
so they earn on average like 4 000 $ per month and no one gets more than 8 000$. seems reasonable , bearing in mind that their food/sleeping expenses are covered because they live in teamhouses.

ps : oops my bad, saw the following link and my numbers are off
Top50 GM EU Protoss from Bulgaria. Streaming with commentary : www.twitch.tv/hwbgmethix
bduddy
Profile Joined May 2012
United States1326 Posts
December 24 2015 06:05 GMT
#8
On December 24 2015 15:00 Thouhastmail wrote:
No. If it is 25, it includes everyone in those 5 teams.
Huh? This isn't LoL. Player numbers according to Liquipedia:

SKT: 8
Samsung: 11
JAGW: 6
CJ: 6
KT: 10

...which makes 41. Get rid of the lowest-paid 40% and suddenly your numbers get a lot better...
>Liquid'Nazgul: Of course you are completely right
BreAKerTV
Profile Blog Joined November 2011
Taiwan1658 Posts
December 24 2015 06:05 GMT
#9
Faker easily gets 200k USD a month, if not from playing for SKT, definitely for streaming.
Retired caster / streamer "BingeHD". Digital Nomad.
Thouhastmail
Profile Joined March 2015
Korea (North)876 Posts
December 24 2015 06:09 GMT
#10
On December 24 2015 15:05 bduddy wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 24 2015 15:00 Thouhastmail wrote:
No. If it is 25, it includes everyone in those 5 teams.
Huh? This isn't LoL. Player numbers according to Liquipedia:

SKT: 8
Samsung: 11
JAGW: 6
CJ: 6
KT: 10

...which makes 41. Get rid of the lowest-paid 40% and suddenly your numbers get a lot better...


It was sarcasm..
"Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people we personally dislike"
TR
Profile Joined February 2011
2320 Posts
December 24 2015 06:17 GMT
#11
On December 24 2015 15:05 BreAKerTV wrote:
Faker easily gets 200k USD a month, if not from playing for SKT, definitely for streaming.

Yeah I'm sure he makes a lot more than some average KeSPA players do, but where did you get that "$200k a month" from? Just curious.
J. Corsair
Profile Joined June 2014
United States470 Posts
December 24 2015 06:19 GMT
#12
I'm not sure how far that money goes in Korea, but that seems pretty damn nice for having all expenses paid and all the more because of how young a lot of these guys are.

The sample size really hurts though... that number drops in half at least if they included ALL player's salaries.
“...it is human nature, I suppose, to be futile and ridiculous.” - Scaramouche
Seeker *
Profile Blog Joined April 2005
Where dat snitch at?37024 Posts
December 24 2015 06:21 GMT
#13
On December 24 2015 14:54 Thouhastmail wrote:
Edit: someone please add 't' before 'he'?

You know you can edit your own messages right? Just look for the "Edit" button at the bottom of your posts.
ModeratorPeople ask me, "Seeker, what are you seeking?" My answer? "Sleep, damn it! Always sleep!"
TL+ Member
partydude89
Profile Blog Joined August 2012
1850 Posts
December 24 2015 06:21 GMT
#14
On December 24 2015 15:19 J. Corsair wrote:
I'm not sure how far that money goes in Korea, but that seems pretty damn nice for having all expenses paid and all the more because of how young a lot of these guys are.

The sample size really hurts though... that number drops in half at least if they included ALL player's salaries.



But they also get Housing, living, travel, and any prize money they win. So while the sample size may be off, the amount of value they're getting is as well.
#1 Official Hack Fan|#2 Bomber behind Wintex.|Curious|Life|Flash|TY|Cure|Maru|sOs|Jin Air Green Wings fighting!|SBENU Fighting!|
Taf the Ghost
Profile Joined December 2010
United States11751 Posts
December 24 2015 06:22 GMT
#15
Considering most of these guys live in a Team House, there's a "pay" vs "total compensation" issue that can get really messy. Because even if a player is going getting 20k USD a year, if their room & board is covered, that really shifts the calculations. Plus that's before prize money and "bonuses".

So this is something to both worry a bit about and, at the same time, to understand it's more complicated than the information everyone is currently presenting.
Thouhastmail
Profile Joined March 2015
Korea (North)876 Posts
December 24 2015 06:24 GMT
#16
On December 24 2015 15:21 Seeker wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 24 2015 14:54 Thouhastmail wrote:
Edit: someone please add 't' before 'he'?

You know you can edit your own messages right? Just look for the "Edit" button at the bottom of your posts.


I know, but I cannot edit thread title. It was "Kesap revealed 'he' average..."
"Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people we personally dislike"
Seeker *
Profile Blog Joined April 2005
Where dat snitch at?37024 Posts
December 24 2015 06:29 GMT
#17
On December 24 2015 15:24 Thouhastmail wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 24 2015 15:21 Seeker wrote:
On December 24 2015 14:54 Thouhastmail wrote:
Edit: someone please add 't' before 'he'?

You know you can edit your own messages right? Just look for the "Edit" button at the bottom of your posts.


I know, but I cannot edit thread title. It was "Kesap revealed 'he' average..."

Ahhhh, okay, gotcha.
ModeratorPeople ask me, "Seeker, what are you seeking?" My answer? "Sleep, damn it! Always sleep!"
TL+ Member
Liquid`Snute
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Norway839 Posts
December 24 2015 07:13 GMT
#18
from a non-Korean perspective ~$3000+/month seems to be a crazy strong baseline sc2 salary, especially if it's on top of free housing etc o_o good for the 25 listed in the sample size.
Team Liquid
negativedge
Profile Joined December 2011
4279 Posts
December 24 2015 07:14 GMT
#19
On December 24 2015 15:17 TR wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 24 2015 15:05 BreAKerTV wrote:
Faker easily gets 200k USD a month, if not from playing for SKT, definitely for streaming.

Yeah I'm sure he makes a lot more than some average KeSPA players do, but where did you get that "$200k a month" from? Just curious.


he got it from the same place most people get numbers from: their ass.
Wrath
Profile Blog Joined July 2014
3174 Posts
December 24 2015 07:48 GMT
#20
On December 24 2015 16:13 Liquid`Snute wrote:
from a non-Korean perspective ~$3000+/month seems to be a crazy strong baseline sc2 salary, especially if it's on top of free housing etc o_o good for the 25 listed in the sample size.


How much does TL pay you?
1 2 3 4 5 6 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Wardi Open
11:00
Mondays #46
WardiTV751
Harstem419
Rex127
CranKy Ducklings92
LiquipediaDiscussion
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Harstem 419
Lowko230
Rex 127
ProTech53
Codebar 20
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 35067
Calm 5326
Sea 3130
Horang2 2922
Shuttle 2702
Flash 1681
ggaemo 1365
hero 1092
EffOrt 1020
Barracks 1008
[ Show more ]
Hyuk 557
actioN 521
Mini 449
Larva 386
BeSt 354
Zeus 300
Soma 284
Soulkey 279
Pusan 228
ZerO 214
Mong 187
Snow 176
TY 137
Rush 126
Mind 96
Nal_rA 87
Movie 64
Sea.KH 61
Sharp 50
sSak 50
soO 37
JulyZerg 34
[sc1f]eonzerg 34
sas.Sziky 32
sorry 31
scan(afreeca) 18
Terrorterran 12
Bale 11
IntoTheRainbow 5
910 4
Dota 2
Dendi2639
Gorgc1371
qojqva1368
XcaliburYe493
KheZu468
Counter-Strike
olofmeister2879
ScreaM2748
x6flipin566
flusha255
oskar114
markeloff92
Other Games
singsing2328
B2W.Neo1432
hiko978
crisheroes372
Fuzer 275
XaKoH 167
mouzStarbuck163
Happy138
ArmadaUGS56
QueenE37
rGuardiaN32
FunKaTv 21
ZerO(Twitch)18
Organizations
StarCraft: Brood War
UltimateBattle 1436
lovetv 12
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 16 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• StrangeGG 61
• davetesta26
• iHatsuTV 14
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• WagamamaTV567
League of Legends
• Nemesis5255
• Jankos1386
Upcoming Events
RotterdaM Event
2h 45m
OSC
10h 45m
WardiTV Summer Champion…
21h 45m
WardiTV Summer Champion…
1d 1h
PiGosaur Monday
1d 10h
WardiTV Summer Champion…
1d 21h
Stormgate Nexus
2 days
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
2 days
The PondCast
2 days
WardiTV Summer Champion…
2 days
[ Show More ]
Replay Cast
3 days
LiuLi Cup
3 days
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
4 days
RSL Revival
4 days
RSL Revival
4 days
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
5 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
5 days
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
6 days
Wardi Open
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

ASL Season 20: Qualifier #2
FEL Cracow 2025
CC Div. A S7

Ongoing

Copa Latinoamericana 4
Jiahua Invitational
BSL 20 Team Wars
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 3
BSL 21 Qualifiers
HCC Europe
IEM Cologne 2025
FISSURE Playground #1
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 7
IEM Dallas 2025

Upcoming

ASL Season 20
CSLPRO Chat StarLAN 3
BSL Season 21
BSL 21 Team A
RSL Revival: Season 2
Maestros of the Game
SEL Season 2 Championship
WardiTV Summer 2025
uThermal 2v2 Main Event
Thunderpick World Champ.
MESA Nomadic Masters Fall
CS Asia Championships 2025
Roobet Cup 2025
ESL Pro League S22
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.