Using a rich data set and unconditional quartile regression, we provide a comprehensive analysis of National Football League (NFL) salary distributions for 2011–2018. Unlike most previous research, we can compare players across all positions. Our focus is on players’ race as an explanatory factor in pay gaps after controlling for productivity and other determinants. We find that nonwhite players have marginally lower salaries than white players, and the wage gap is concentrated mainly at the lower part of the salary distribution.
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Jepsen et al. (2026) studied this question.
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