How Long Does NFL QB Patrick Mahomes Have to Work to Earn an Average Indiana Salary

Just how many hours does an athlete like Kansas City Chief's quarterback Patrick Mahomes have to work in order to earn the salary of the average Hoosier?

My Random Internet Scrolling Was Cause for Pause

I came across a rather interesting calculator online, and it got my gears turning. The online calculator tells you how long a popular athlete has to work to earn whatever income threshold you set in the calculator.

No Doubt About It: Mahomes Is Good at His Sport

Now, admittedly, I am not a big sports fan, so I immediately picked one of the small number of names that I do know - Patrick Mahomes. Despite not being a diehard sports fan, I have watched Mahomes play in four of the last five Super Bowls, and I will watch him again in Super Bowl LIX. I am always impressed with his efforts on the field.

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Athletes Are Paid Such High Salaries Compared to Other Professions

That being said, I have always found it interesting that athletes earn so much money, especially when compared to other professions that require a person to put their physical body on the line - like law enforcement, firefighters, and the military for example.

What Is the Average Salary for a Worker in Indiana in 2025

So just how much does Patrick Mahomes make when we compare his earnings to an average joe like you or me? Well, first we have to know what the average salary is in the state of Indiana. For that, I turned to Zip Recruiter. They've compiled the data, and the average salary for the average person in Indiana as of February 2025 is $49,020 per year or roughly $24 per hour at 40 hours a week for all 52 weeks of the year. That's 2,080 hours of work per year to earn $49,020 in Indiana.

The Comparison Between Average Indiana Joe & Star Athlete Was Staggering

Remember that handy calculator I mentioned earlier? Yeah... when I select Patrick Mahomes, and I enter the average salary of a worker in the state of Indiana, I just about fell out of my chair. I know pro athletes earn a lot of money, but seeing it compared to an average Hoosier's annual pay was eye opening.

How Long Does Patrick Mahomes Have to Work to Earn an Average Indiana Salary?

Patrick Mahomes earns $49,020 in 7 hours... hours. Not days, but hours. More specifically, it takes him 434 minutes to earn what takes the average Indiana resident 2,080 hours.

How Long Does Patrick Mahomes Have to Work to Earn an Average Police Salary in Indiana?

Looking a little further, since I mentioned law enforcement earlier - the average salary for a police officer in Indiana, according to Zip Recruiter is $59,138. Again, that's for a 40 hour work week all 52 weeks of the calendar year for the average law enforcement officer. Mahomes? 9 hours. It takes the quarterback of an NFL team 523 minutes to earn the same amount as the annual salary of the average Indiana police officer.

The Numbers Are Eye Opening

Eye opening isn't it? Now I'm not saying that Mahomes, or any other pro athlete shouldn't be well compensated, but the staggering difference is quite appalling.

View the Athlete Salary Calculator from Bet MGM yourself and see how your salary stacks up against some of your favorite athletes.