How much do professional softball players make?

The average professional softball player makes $5,000-$6,000 for the season, which runs from June to August, according to National Pro Fastpitch. Some players might make more, up to $20,000 per 48-game season; however, that puts a big strain on the per-team salary cap of $150,000, notes The New York Times.

Many pro-softball players struggle to make ends meet based on their 3-month salary. Some players have had to leave the league to pursue a career that paid them more while others have resorted to going overseas to play because other countries pay elite American players more than they could make in the states, and there are spring and fall leagues, which means they won't have to work an off-season job.