A US Open champion can take home millions, but the prize money story starts well before the trophy ceremony. Players earn at every stage, from qualifying through the main draw, and a first-round loss still comes with a substantial cheque. The figures also change from year to year, so it helps to know which tournament schedule you’re looking at.
The most recent full prize-money breakdown I can state confidently is for 2025. The 2026 US Open has since taken place, but check the USTA’s official 2026 schedule for its exact payouts rather than treating last year’s amounts as current. In 2025, the total purse was a record $90 million, and each singles champion received $5 million.
US Open prize money: 2025 singles payouts
Men’s and women’s singles paid the same at every round. The amounts below are per player and in US dollars.
| Singles result | 2025 prize money |
|---|---|
| Champion | $5,000,000 |
| Runner-up | $2,500,000 |
| Semifinalist | $1,260,000 |
| Quarterfinalist | $660,000 |
| Round of 16 | $400,000 |
| Round of 32 | $237,000 |
| Round of 64 | $154,000 |
| First round | $110,000 |
The jump between rounds can be dramatic. In 2025, advancing from the first round to the second added $44,000; reaching the fourth round brought the payout to $400,000. The champion’s $5 million was more than twice the runner-up’s amount, reflecting the enormous value attached to winning the title.
How the US Open purse is distributed
The headline purse is not a pot divided evenly among the champions. It covers payouts across events and rounds, including singles, doubles, mixed doubles and qualifying. In singles, every player who reaches the main draw earns a guaranteed amount, with prize money increasing as they advance. A player who loses in round one still receives the first-round payout; they do not go home empty-handed.
Qualifying offers another route into the tournament and pays players who fall short of the main draw. That matters because many players outside the top ranks rely on tournament earnings to cover travel, coaching, accommodation and other costs. A first-round cheque is meaningful, but it is gross prize money—not take-home pay after taxes and expenses.
Doubles and mixed doubles have their own payout schedules. Doubles prize money is generally listed per team, so partners split the stated amount rather than each receiving the full figure. Mixed doubles has also had a format and schedule distinct from the traditional singles and doubles draws. Check the event’s individual payout table before comparing a doubles prize with a singles cheque.
How the 2025 prize money changed
The 2025 total rose to $90 million, up from $75 million in 2024. The singles champions’ payouts climbed from $3.6 million to $5 million. That made the increase especially visible at the top of the draw, although players at earlier stages also received more in several rounds.
Prize money is not fixed permanently. Organizers announce a new schedule each year, and the total purse can rise or fall independently of a particular player’s result. For a current-year comparison, use the official US Open or USTA payout announcement and check the year printed on the schedule. A number repeated in an older article may be accurate for that edition but wrong for the next one.
Why the prize money matters beyond the winner
For a top seed, a US Open title can be a career-defining sporting and financial achievement. For a player ranked outside the elite, getting into the main draw can be just as important in a different way. A first-round loss still brings six figures in the 2025 schedule, but that sum must help fund a season that may include repeated flights, hotels, coaches and support staff.
That is one reason tournament payouts attract debate. Grand Slam champions receive enormous rewards, while lower-ranked players face costs that continue whether they win or lose. The US Open’s large purse supports more than the two singles winners, but the amount each player keeps is affected by tax rules and the expense of competing professionally.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did the US Open singles champion earn in 2025?
The men’s and women’s singles champions each received $5 million in 2025. That figure is for that year’s tournament; prize money can change for later editions.
Do the men and women receive equal prize money?
Yes. The US Open pays equal prize money to men and women in singles. In 2025, the champion’s prize was $5 million in both draws, and the published singles payouts matched round for round.
Do first-round losers get prize money?
Yes. Players who lose in the first round of the singles main draw received $110,000 in 2025. Qualifying players also earned payouts according to the round they reached.
Is doubles prize money paid to each player?
Doubles prize money is commonly quoted per team, so each partner receives a share of that amount. Check the relevant year’s doubles schedule for the team total and any event-specific details.
Final Thoughts
The US Open’s 2025 purse reached $90 million, with $5 million going to each singles champion and prize money available throughout the draw. Those figures give a useful sense of the scale, but they are not a substitute for the 2026 schedule. Since payouts are updated each year, check the official tournament figures when you need an exact current-year amount.
