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Wednesday, June 4, 2025

The 25 Highest-Paid MLS Goalkeepers

  • Roman Burki is the highest-paid MLS goalkeeper, earning $1.53 million.
  • Fifteen goalkeepers are earning under $500,000.
Jun 19, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis CITY SC goalkeeper Roman Burki (1) looks on during a match agains the Colorado Rapids at CITYPARK. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Puetz-USA TODAY Sports

With a record 11 million fans attending matches last season, the MLS continues to grow its presence among major soccer leagues worldwide.

But when two to three times more people show up to catch a match, it’s to watch their teams score goals. The highest-paid MLS goalkeepers earn their keep by preventing goals from hitting the back of their net. 

Roman Burki is the highest-paid MLS goalkeeper of 2025. His $1.53 million salary with St. Louis is $600,000 more than the next closest goalkeeper.

Burki is the only goalkeeper to earn over $1 million for his services and has the third most career clean sheets on the list.

Zack Steffen of the Rapids earns close to a million with his $900,000 earnings. Last January, he signed a three-year, $2.7 million deal.

Steffen has spent half of his career in the United States and the other half in England. He played for Manchester City for two seasons and won back-to-back Premier League titles.

Andre Blake of the Union and Pedro Gallese of Orlando City are tied for third at $800,000.

Blake was the number 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft and has made $4.7 million over his career. 

Gallese has been at Orlando City for five seasons, racking up 32 clean sheets. 

Fifth on the list is Yohei Takaoka of the Whitecaps. Takaoka earns $672,000 playing for Vancouver. He arrived from Japan in 2023 after signing a one-year deal. 

Ranking The Highest-Paid MLS Goalkeepers

Here is the entire list of the highest-paid MLS goalkeepers. The list was compiled with data from Capology.

  • Updated: April 30, 2025
RankPlayerTeamTotal Compensation
1Roman BurkiSt Louis City$1.53 million
2Zack SteffenColorado Rapids$900,000
T-3Andre BlakePhiladelphia Union$800,000
T-3Pedro GalleseOrlando City$800,000
5Yohei TakaokaVancouver Whitecaps$672,000
T-6Stefan FreiSeattle Sounders$600,000
T-6Joe WillisNashville SC$600,000
T-6Brad GuzanAtlanta United$600,000
9Maxime CrépeauPortland Timbers$555,000
10Kristijan KahlinaCharlotte FC$550,000
11Carlos CoronelNY Red Bulls$500,000
12Dayne St ClairMinnesota United$460,000
13Brad StuverAustin FC$459,000
14Sean JohnsonToronto FC$426,039
15DanielSan Jose Earthquakes$425,000
16Roman CelentanoFC Cincinnati$400,000
17Aljaž IvačičNE Revolution$385,000
18Hugo LlorisLA FC$350,000
19Zaz MacMathReal Salt Lake$350,000
20Drake CallenderInter Miami$349,992
21Maarten PaesFC Dallas $325,000
22John McCarthyLA Galaxy$275,000
23Josh CohenAtlanta United$265,000
T-24Andrew Tarbell Houston Dynamo$250,000
T-24Matt FreeseNYCFC$250,000
T-24Alec KannFC Cincinnati$250,000

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