NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) is the legal framework that lets athletes earn money from their name, image, and likeness. Since June 2021, NCAA athletes can do this without losing eligibility. Whether high school athletes can also do it depends on state law, and the state-by-state map keeps changing.
The basics for HS athletes. As of 2026, roughly 35 states allow high school athletes to participate in NIL deals without losing high school eligibility, with various restrictions. Roughly 15 states still prohibit it or require waivers. The map is shifting as more state athletic associations update their rules.
Check your state’s high school athletic association (NFHS member). They publish the current rule. If your state allows HS NIL, the rule almost always includes specific restrictions: no school-uniform appearances, no use of school logos, no in-school promotion, no products related to alcohol/gambling/CBD.
What HS NIL actually pays. For 99% of high school athletes, the answer is zero or close to it. The NIL marketplace is concentrated at the top — the handful of nationally-known recruits, top showcase performers, and influencer-track athletes with significant social media followings. Most HS athletes who “do NIL” earn $0-2,000 across high school. A handful earn meaningful money. A very small number earn six figures.
The mistakes that kill eligibility.
- Signing a contract with an “agent” before knowing what the NCAA permits. NCAA allows certain advisor relationships; the line between an “advisor” and an “agent” matters.
- Using high school facilities, uniforms, or logos in NIL content without permission.
- Accepting payment for play (pay-for-play is still prohibited). NIL is for use of name/image/likeness, not for athletic performance.
- Crossing the line into recruiting inducements (where booster money funnels to a kid as a recruiting tool). The NCAA is increasingly enforcing here.
What to do if your kid has an NIL opportunity.
- Check your state’s HS rules first.
- Read the contract carefully. Most NIL contracts for HS athletes are posted on social media or appear at events. They are real contracts.
- Have a lawyer review anything substantial. Many sports law clinics at universities will review HS NIL contracts free or low-cost.
- Disclose to the high school athletic department per state and school rules.
- Track everything for taxes — NIL income is taxable.
The biggest myth. That NIL changes the recruiting math for most kids. It doesn’t. Coaches recruit on talent, fit, and academic standing. NIL is icing for the few kids with a real platform. The kid with 50,000 Instagram followers and a state title might have NIL leverage. The kid with a normal recruiting profile gets recruited the way kids always have.
The NCAA piece. Once your kid arrives at college, NCAA NIL rules apply. Each conference and school has its own NIL collective and rules layer. The college recruiting conversation now includes NIL collective offers — which are real money in the major sports at the major schools and roughly zero everywhere else. Don’t let NIL drive the school choice for the kid who will earn $0 in NIL anywhere they go (which is most kids).
Who tracks the state map. Opendorse maintains a publicly-updated tracker of state-by-state HS NIL rules. NFHS publishes updates as state associations change their rules. Your specific state’s HS athletic association is the legally-authoritative source.
The honest part: NIL is real and growing, but the cultural noise around it overstates its impact for the typical HS family. For the rare kid who has a real platform, get the right legal help. For everyone else, focus on the things that actually drive recruiting outcomes — film, GPA, character, fit with the program. NIL is a footnote in most recruiting stories.
Last updated April 2026.