Boston Marathon

More than $1 million will go to finishers this year, and the para divisions will see a substantial addition to the winning purse, the BAA said.

Runners taking to the Boston Marathon starting line will be competing for more than $1 million in prize money this year – a more than $250,000 increase over 2023’s purse.

A grand total of $1,137,500 will be distributed to winners in the open, wheelchair, and master’s divisions. $77,000 will be awarded to winners in the para athletic division for men and women, a marked increase for the division.

The increase to the winnings come as Bank of America prepares for its inaugural year as the race’s corporate sponsor. (Some are upset about the bank’s other change to the marathon, which some call a “nauseating” branded medal for this year’s finishers.)

The top 10 finishers for the open and wheelchair divisions will all take home a cash prize. The awards will be equally distributed between the men and the women category winners, the Boston Athletic Association said. 

Open division

In the open division, the first man and woman to cross the finish line in Copley Square will each earn $150,000, the second will get $75,000, and the third will get $40,000. Top 10 finishers all get prizes, as follows:

• Fourth: $25,000
• Fifth: $18,000
• Sixth: $13,500
• Seventh: $10,500
• Eighth: $8,500
• Ninth: $7,000
• 10th: $5,500

Runners also have a chance to win $50,000 for breaking the course record in the open and wheelchair divisions. That prize will also be split equally between the men and the women competitors. 

In the open division, the record for women is 2:19:59, which Buzunesh Deba ran in 2014. The record for men is 2:03:02, set by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011.

In the masters division (for runners 40-plus), the first prize is $5,000, second is $2,500, and third is $1,500.

Wheelchair division

In the wheelchair division, first place winners will make $40,000, which is more than $15,000 more than prizes for the division last year. The top 10 finishers will win:

• Second: $25,000
• Third: $12,000
• Fourth: $8,000
• Fifth: $6,000
• Sixth: $4,000
• Seventh: $3,000
• Eighth: $2,500
• Ninth: $2,000
• 10th: $1,500

Racers can also win $50,000 for breaking the course record. Marcel Hug broke the men’s record last year with a 1:17:06 time, and Manuela Schär, a winner of multiple Boston Marathons, set a 1:28:17 record in 2017.

Para divisions

Racers across seven para divisions – from vision and lower limb impairment – are eligible for thousands of dollars in prize money this year. The BAA is offering $11,000 in winnings for para athletes in each division.

In 2023, a total of $27,500 was awarded across all para divisions.  

In each division for men and women, the winner will be awarded $2,500, $1,500 for second place, and $1,000 for third. The course record bonus for each division is $500.