five Best-Compensated Females's College Basketball Coaches
five Best-Compensated Females's College Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Girls’s university basketball has found exponential growth in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past decade. With the improved reputation and industrial good results on the sport, especially in NCAA Division I applications, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the worth and Management these prime-tier coaches carry to their groups and universities. As universities go on to take a position within their Ladies’s athletics departments, a couple of standout coaches are reaping the financial benefits that come with setting up powerhouse programs.
In this article’s a consider the five best-paid out Ladies’s college basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not simply their amazing salaries but additionally 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 Gals’s higher education basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has created South Carolina right into a perennial powerhouse. Considering that taking on the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to various NCAA Last 4 appearances and two national championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she manufactured headlines by signing a historic seven-yr, $22.four million deal, producing her the best-paid out Black head mentor in Females's college basketball record. That deal has considering the fact that been restructured and extended with performance incentives, putting her firmly at the best of this checklist.
two. Geno Auriemma – College of Connecticut
Believed Annual Salary: $2.9 million
A residing legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to the jaw-dropping 11 countrywide titles. His tenure at UConn, which started in 1985, has transformed the program into Among the most dominant dynasties in university basketball heritage—Adult males's or Ladies’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and regular effectiveness have ensured lucrative contract renewals. His present contract includes a base salary, media obligations, apparel offers, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament operates. Though UConn has confronted recent challenges with accidents and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management continue to keep his benefit superior.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Point out College (LSU)
Approximated Annual Salary: $two.seven million
Soon after An effective two-10 years run at Baylor, where she received a few nationwide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball world by signing up for LSU in 2021. In only her 2nd season Using the Tigers, she led them to a 2023 countrywide championship, bringing a completely new stage of excitement and Highlight to Baton Rouge.
Her significant-profile arrival came having a lucrative eight-yr, $23.six million agreement, producing her certainly one of the best-paid out Females’s coaches ever. Noted for her passionate coaching fashion, flamboyant manner, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Ladies's hoops.
four. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Estimated Yearly Salary: $one.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly developed a product of regularity at Maryland since taking on in 2002. With several meeting championships, a nationwide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Event appearances, Frese has kept the Terrapins in national competition for more than two decades.
Her very long-term affect and improvement of top rated-tier expertise have produced her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Office. Her latest offer includes bonuses for academic efficiency, wins, and postseason results—illustrating her twin motivation to athletics and university student enhancement.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
Estimated Annual Income: $1.three million
Tara VanDerveer is not simply one of the highest-compensated coaches but additionally the winningest coach in NCAA women's basketball history. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time gain report and has led Stanford to three national titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and various Remaining Four appearances.
Whilst VanDerveer hasn't been one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are correctly compensated. Her leadership, improvement of WNBA stars, and determination to excellence have solidified her area One of the all-time greats in coaching background.
A Changing Landscape in Women of all ages's Basketball
The increasing salaries of those coaches are reflective in the developing recognition and economical viability of ladies’s university basketball. Programs are attracting more nationwide Television set specials, ticket sales are raising, and corporate sponsors are getting to be much more invested in Gals's athletics.
The increase in coaching salaries is not only a sign of progress—it’s a recognition on the labor, Management, and good results these coaches convey for their programs along with the sport as a whole.
Honorable Mentions
When these 5 coaches currently guide the way in which when it comes to earnings, many Other individuals are increasing:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Just about every of such coaches has created considerable strides with their respective systems and could break into the best five in the approaching years as women's basketball proceeds to mature.
Closing Feelings
The days of underfunded Girls’s plans and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not just command high salaries—In addition they mentor generations of athletes, M88 condition the lifestyle of their universities, and elevate Women of all ages’s basketball to new heights. Because the Activity carries on to grow in recognition and support, we will hope these salaries—and the profiles of such leaders—to carry on climbing.
Ladies’s college basketball isn’t just preserving pace—it’s environment the tempo for the way forward for competitive sporting activities.