The World's Highest Paid Athletes in 1995
Here is the top 10 list of the highest earning sports people, estimates from the 1995 calendar year. Jordan again topped the list for the forth year in a row. Athletes from the USA were in the first 8 places. He earned $3.9 million in salary and $40 million in outside income.
Earning totals include salaries, bonuses, prize money, endorsements and appearance fees. See also the top earning lists from other years.
| Name | Sport | Nationality | earnings ($ million) | previous year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Michael Jordan | basketball | USA | 43.9 | 1 |
| 2. | Mike Tyson | boxing | USA | 40.0 | not ranked |
| 3. | Deion Sanders | American Football / Baseball | USA | 22.5 | 38 |
| 4. | Riddick Bowe | boxing | USA | 22.2 | not ranked |
| 5. | Shaquille O'Neal | basketball | USA | 21.9 | 2 |
| 6. | George Foreman | boxing | USA | 18.0 | 15 |
| 7. | Andre Agassi | tennis | USA | 16.0 | 9 |
| 8. | Jack Nicklaus | golf | USA | 15.1 | 3 |
| 9. | Michael Schumacher | auto racing | Germany | 15.0 | 30 |
| 10. | Wayne Gretzky | ice hockey | Canada | 14.5 | =5 |
next on the list was Arnold Palmer, Drew Bledsoe, Gerhard Berger, Evander Holleyfield, Pete Sampras, Cal Ripkin Jr., Greg Norman, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing and Dale Earnhardt.
Highest Ranked For Each Sport in 1995
The highest ranked from each sport is listed below. There were no soccer players in the top 40.
| Sport | Name | earning ($USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Basketball | Jordan | $43.9 million |
| Boxing | Mike Tyson | $40 million |
| Tennis | Andre Agassi | $16 million |
| Golf | Jack Nicklaus | $15.1 million |
| Auto Racing | Michael Schumacher | $15 million |
| Ice Hockey | Wayne Gretzky | $14.5 million |
| American Football | Drew Bledsoe | $13.9 million |
| Baseball | Cal Ripken Jr. | $10.3 million |
References
- Forbes Magazine, Dec 18, 1995, Vol 156, No.14. The 40 top earning athletes, p212.
Related Pages
- See the top earning lists from other years.
- Other world sport lists
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
Upcoming Events