Girls’s faculty basketball has noticed exponential progress in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past 10 years. Using the enhanced acceptance and business results with the sport, particularly in NCAA Division I plans, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the value and Management these top rated-tier coaches carry to their teams and universities. As universities go on to speculate inside their Females’s athletics departments, a number of standout coaches are reaping the fiscal benefits that come with developing powerhouse programs.
In this article’s a consider the 5 maximum-paid out Ladies’s college basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing don't just their outstanding salaries but in addition the achievements that justify their elite compensation.
one. Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Approximated Annual Wage: $3.one million
Dawn Staley continues being the gold normal in women’s faculty basketball coaching. A former WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has designed South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Considering the fact that taking over This system in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to numerous NCAA Closing Four appearances and two nationwide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she built headlines by signing a historic 7-calendar year, $22.4 million agreement, earning her the highest-paid out Black head mentor in Gals's college or university basketball historical past. That offer has because been restructured and extended with efficiency incentives, inserting her firmly at the best of this checklist.
two. Geno Auriemma – College of Connecticut
Believed Annual Salary: $2.9 million
A living legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to your jaw-dropping eleven national titles. His tenure at UConn, which commenced in 1985, has remodeled This system into Probably the most dominant dynasties in faculty basketball record—Males's or Girls’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and reliable performance have ensured rewarding agreement renewals. His latest deal features a foundation income, media obligations, clothing deals, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament operates. While UConn has faced recent difficulties with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership hold his price substantial.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Condition University (LSU)
Believed Once-a-year Income: $two.7 million
Right after An effective two-decade operate at Baylor, where she received a few 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 new level of excitement and Highlight to Baton Rouge.
Her superior-profile arrival arrived using a profitable eight-year, $23.six million agreement, creating her certainly one of the best-paid out Females’s coaches at any time. Recognized for her passionate coaching fashion, flamboyant fashion, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Gals's hoops.
4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Estimated Once-a-year Salary: $one.4 million
Brenda Frese has quietly crafted a design of regularity at Maryland due to the fact taking over in 2002. With various convention championships, a countrywide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Tournament appearances, Frese has retained the Terrapins in national competition for over 20 years.
Her long-expression impact and progress of top-tier expertise have manufactured her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic department. Her recent offer contains bonuses for tutorial efficiency, wins, and postseason achievements—illustrating her dual motivation to athletics and university student advancement.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Believed Annual Wage: $one.three million
Tara VanDerveer is don't just among the very best-compensated coaches but also the winningest coach in NCAA Girls's basketball record. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time win document and has led Stanford to a few nationwide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and various Remaining 4 appearances.
Though VanDerveer has never been a single to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are properly compensated. Her Management, enhancement of WNBA stars, and commitment to excellence have solidified her location Amongst the all-time greats in coaching heritage.
A Changing Landscape in Ladies's Basketball
The growing salaries of these coaches are reflective of the rising popularity and economic viability of girls’s higher education basketball. Courses are attracting far more nationwide Tv set specials, ticket profits are growing, and corporate sponsors are becoming additional invested in Women of all ages's sports.
The increase in coaching salaries is not merely a sign of progress—it’s a recognition of your hard work, Management, and achievement these coaches provide to their applications and also the Activity as a M88 whole.
Honorable Mentions
Whilst these 5 coaches at this time direct the way concerning earnings, various Other folks are on the rise:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Each of those coaches has produced sizeable strides with their respective systems and could split into the top rated five in the approaching many years as Women of all ages's basketball carries on to grow.
Closing Thoughts
The days of underfunded women’s systems and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not just command significant salaries—they also mentor generations of athletes, form the society of their universities, and elevate Girls’s basketball to new heights. As the sport proceeds to grow in level of popularity and assistance, we could expect these salaries—along with the profiles of those leaders—to continue mounting.
Ladies’s college or university basketball isn’t just trying to keep speed—it’s setting the tempo for the way forward for aggressive sports.