Females’s school basketball has found exponential development in viewership, talent, and competitiveness in the last 10 years. Using the greater attractiveness and business achievements of your Activity, particularly in NCAA Division I programs, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the value and Management these top rated-tier coaches provide to their groups and universities. As universities continue on to speculate inside their Females’s athletics departments, several standout coaches are reaping the monetary benefits that come with building powerhouse courses.
Below’s a consider the five optimum-paid out women’s college basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing don't just their outstanding salaries but in addition the achievements that justify their elite payment.
1. Dawn Staley – College of South Carolina
Approximated Once-a-year Wage: $three.1 million
Dawn Staley proceeds to get the gold regular in Women of all ages’s higher education basketball coaching. A former WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has designed South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Due to the fact taking over This system in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to multiple NCAA Closing 4 appearances and two nationwide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she built headlines by signing a historic 7-12 months, $22.four million contract, building her the highest-paid out Black head mentor in Ladies's faculty basketball history. That deal has considering the fact that been restructured and extended with effectiveness incentives, placing her firmly at the very best of the record.
two. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Estimated Yearly Wage: $two.nine million
A dwelling legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to some jaw-dropping 11 nationwide titles. His tenure at UConn, which commenced in 1985, has reworked This system into Just about the most dominant dynasties in faculty basketball record—Males's or Women of all ages’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and consistent functionality have ensured valuable deal renewals. His current contract includes a base salary, media obligations, clothing deals, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament operates. While UConn has confronted recent challenges with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management continue to keep his benefit superior.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Point out University (LSU)
Approximated Annual Salary: $two.seven million
Soon after An effective two-10 years run at Baylor, where she received 3 nationwide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball globe by joining LSU in 2021. In only her 2nd period With all the Tigers, she led them to some 2023 national championship, bringing a completely new amount of excitement and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her high-profile arrival arrived by using a rewarding 8-12 months, $23.6 million deal, generating her among the highest-compensated Girls’s coaches ever. Noted for her passionate coaching design, flamboyant style, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Women of all ages's hoops.
4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Approximated Annual Wage: $one.4 million
Brenda Frese has quietly constructed a product of consistency at Maryland considering the fact that taking up in 2002. With multiple convention championships, a national title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Match appearances, Frese has kept the Terrapins in nationwide contention for over twenty years.
Her prolonged-term affect and improvement of top rated-tier talent have designed her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic department. Her recent offer contains bonuses for tutorial efficiency, wins, and postseason achievements—illustrating her dual dedication to athletics and university student improvement.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Believed Annual Salary: $1.three million
Tara VanDerveer is don't just among the very best-paid coaches and also the winningest mentor in NCAA Women of all ages's basketball historical past. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time gain record and has led Stanford to three countrywide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and various Remaining 4 appearances.
Whilst VanDerveer has not been one particular to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are correctly compensated. Her Management, development of WNBA stars, and commitment to excellence have solidified her spot Among the M88 many all-time greats in coaching heritage.
A Switching Landscape in Women's Basketball
The growing salaries of these coaches are reflective from the developing acceptance and money viability of girls’s faculty basketball. Systems are attracting extra countrywide Tv set discounts, ticket income are escalating, and company sponsors have become a lot more invested in Females's sports activities.
The rise in coaching salaries is not merely an indication of progress—it’s a recognition of the effort, Management, and accomplishment these coaches deliver to their courses plus the sport as a whole.
Honorable Mentions
Though these five coaches presently guide how regarding earnings, a number of others are rising:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Every single of these coaches has designed considerable strides with their respective applications and will break in the leading 5 in the coming yrs as Females's basketball proceeds to expand.
Remaining Ideas
The times of underfunded Females’s courses and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not merely command high salaries—Additionally they mentor generations of athletes, condition the culture in their universities, and elevate Females’s basketball to new heights. Given that the sport carries on to grow in acceptance and support, we will hope these salaries—as well as the profiles of such leaders—to carry on increasing.
Girls’s college basketball isn’t just trying to keep tempo—it’s placing the pace for the future of aggressive sporting activities.