Since the NCAA put its interim NIL policy into effect last summer, the world of college athletics has completely altered. With it a need for student-athletes to have an understanding of what their market value is in the NIL world.

Enter the On3 NIL Valuation.

Introduced in December, the valuation system is the industry’s leading index that sets the standard market NIL value for high school and college-level athletes. A proprietary algorithm, the valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date.

The On3 NIL Valuation is calculated on three primary categories:

• Social media following and engagement
• Athlete data, achievements, performance, and media sentiment
• Endorsement deals, opportunities, and Collectives

It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a specific moment in time. And the On3 NIL 100 is the first of its kind and the defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by market valuation.

Over six months later, the valuation continues to grow. The average college athlete has a valuation of $35,354.70. And with recent data, On3 can now share which conference has the highest NIL valuation average.

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On3 NIL Valuation by conference

1. Southeastern Conference

Total On3 NIL Valuations: 1,372
Average valuation: $52,806.54

The largest conference in the nation, it’s no surprise that the SEC leads the Power Five conferences in the total count of valuations and the average valuation. The conference has been at the forefront of NIL with plenty of headline deals, including Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, who signed more than $800,000 in deals before the start of last season. Young won the Heisman Trophy this past season and also holds the highest On3 NIL Valuation of any current FBS player. His current valuation of $3.1 million places him at No. 3 in the On3 NIL 100. South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler clocks in at No. 8 on the rankings, thanks to 567,000 social media followers.

2. Pac-12 Conference

Total On3 NIL Valuations: 614
Average valuation: $37,089.80

A bit of a surprise coming in at No. 2, the Pac-12 has seen a surge in talent enter the conference since Lincoln Riley took over at USC. Oregon may have one of the most organized collectives with Division Street, but USC is on the rise in the NIL scene. The school recently announced the formation of media agency BLVD. Oklahoma transfer turned USC quarterback Caleb Williams holds a $2.4 million valuation, placing him seventh in the NIL 100. His new teammate, wide receiver Jordan Addison, is not far behind at No. 17 with an $893,000 evaluation.

3. Big Ten Conference

Total On3 NIL Valuations: 1,355
Average valuation: $32,717.16

The Big Ten Conference has held the top spot in total athlete compensation, per Opendorse, for most of the first year of NIL. Ohio State has been a major heavyweight in the NIL scene, with the school passing more than 1,000 deals in Year 1 of the new era. Buckeyes’ quarterback C.J. Stroud is top five in the On3 NIL 100 with a $2.4 million evaluation. The Buckeyes are strategically in a strong position in Columbus, Ohio. Frequently being a major player on the national scene is a plus, too.

4. Big 12 Conference

Total On3 NIL Valuations: 904
Average valuation: $30,330.72

Some of the most lucrative deals to emerge in the opening year of NIL have emerged from the Big 12 Conference. Bijan Robinson inked a deal with Lamborghini Austin, which allows the Texas running back to drive a Lamborghini off the lot and the contract is a year-long, set to expire in the spring of 2023. And his new teammate, former Ohio State quarterback Quinn Ewers, signed a similar deal with Aston Martin Dallas. The Longhorns’ offensive group also has sky-high On3 NIL Valuations. Ewers sits in the NIL 100 top 10 with a $1.5M valuation; Robinson is four spots behind paired with a $1.2 million evaluation. Oh, recent Texas quarterback commitment Arch Manning is worth $3.4 million in the NIL world, too.

5. Atlantic Coast Conference

Total On3 NIL Valuations: 1,391
Average valuation: $28,448.83

There’s a myriad of reasons why the ACC clocks in at the bottom of the list. For starters, the conference’s current TV contract does not give its athletes the best exposure. The first ACC player to appear on the On3 NIL 100 doesn’t even crack the top 20. Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman is slotted at No. 21 with a $791,000 valuation. Miami gunslinger Tyler Van Dyke is directly behind with a $777,000 evaluation. Both have the potential to close in on $1 million this season. Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei could have been the top-valued ACC player, but his failure on ROI last season made an impact.