Student-athletes competing at the college level have a high degree of dedication. The sports are usually very demanding and on top of that students are having to study academics. While these students are studying in school and training for their sports, the program that provides this ability is the NCAA. The NCAA is a large organization that makes a lot of money from these athletes which leaves people wondering, “Should college athletes get paid?”

College athletics has been around for decades and lately the controversy about paying athletes has been a common theme within many social media platforms. 

Typically student athletes competing in the Division 1 (D1) level have gotten scholarship money to go towards their tuition for competing for a very high level of athletics.

The average amount of scholarship from the D1 level a college athlete receives is 13 thousand for females and 14 thousand for males according to cnbc.com.

During the season of March Madness, the NCAA makes about an average of 1 billion dollars in revenue.

As a student athlete, I believe athletes shouldn’t get paid because it blurs the line between a college athlete and a professional and it starts to make being a professional less than what it really is.

Veronica Walinski, D1 track and field athlete said, “You can be a college athlete and still do the bare minimum… to be paid means you’re providing a service based off your skill set and that is your career.”

While these athletes work hard to gain the title of being a D1 athlete, they’re still apart of the school as a student but also doing a sport. Just like a student who would be doing student government or other clubs, and those students aren’t being paid.

Walinski said, “ College is the last step to a career,  so if college students aren’t being paid to learn why should college athletes be paid to play.”

Opposing arguments bring up how much the NCAA does make and that they are profiting off of these students.

Ajdena Preza, Senior said, “To get athletes to be the best they can be, they should be paid so they don’t have to worry about stuff outside the court, field, etc. so they can focus on just improving.”

If you’re interested in learning more about this, check out the NCAA website for regulations and rules and ask your Athletic directors and coaches for their opinion.