Texas A&M Aggies Announce Eye-Popping NIL Earnings for Athletes

Texas A&M has seen an unbelievable increase in the NIL earnings for athletes from the 2023-24 academic year over the previous.

Oct 29, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Conner Weigman (15) throws a pass against the Mississippi Rebels in the second half at Kyle Field. / Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Finding success in collegiate athletes nowadays has a lot to do with the NIL collectives that schools put together. To compete with the upper-echelon programs, you have to be willing to put in work and find money for your athletes. It is something that Texas A&M has seen huge improvements in.

There may not be a school in the nation that has seen more of an improvement in NIL earnings than Texas A&M. During the 2023-24 academic year, Aggies athletes brought in nearly $20 million, according to reports shared by KBTX, a local news outlet.

A&M’s athletes brought in $19.4 million in NIL deals, according to information provided to KBTX via open records request," wrote Travis L. Brown of KBTX.

That nearly triples the amount of NIL dollars Texas A&M athletes made during the 2022-23 academic year. In that year, $6.2 million was earned, as the school is trending toward $30 million total earned.

“Since NIL compensation was made legal in the state of Texas on July 1, 2021, A&M athletes have earned a total of $28.7 million in NIL deals," Brown wrote.

More eye-popping than the increased money numbers is how they are distributed amongst the athletes. Despite massive growth in women’s earnings, more than three times year-over-year, almost all of the money goes toward men’s sports.

"Of that three-year total, 97% of the earnings went to athletes in men’s sports," Brown noted. "In Year 3, men’s athletes took home $18.9 million, up from $6.02 million last year. Women’s sports made a significant leap in Year 3, from $154,721 to $528,184.86. However, it encompasses 3% of A&M’s total NIL earnings."

The top three individual earners at the school all earn more than women’s sports combined. Not surprisingly, almost all of the money is going toward the football team. 

The highest earner is quarterback Conner Weigman, who has an NIL valuation of $628,000. He is No. 49 in college football earners and No. 78 in the On3 Top 100.

Wade Taylor, a senior on the men’s basketball team, is the only player among the six with a known valuation that isn’t on the football team. He is earning $543,000, which is the third highest at the school.

As a member of the SEC, there are plenty of opportunities to make money; it almost seems as if they are printing it at some of the bigger schools. It will be interesting to see how much money Texas A&M athletes earn as NIL money is only increasing.