5 Greatest-Paid Females's College or university Basketball Coaches
5 Greatest-Paid Females's College or university Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Females’s higher education basketball has found exponential development in viewership, expertise, and competitiveness in the last 10 years. Using the enhanced attractiveness and professional achievements of the Activity, specifically in NCAA Division I systems, coaching salaries have risen to replicate the value and leadership these leading-tier coaches bring for their groups and universities. As universities go on to invest of their Women of all ages’s athletics departments, a handful of standout coaches are reaping the economical rewards that come with constructing powerhouse plans.
Right here’s a look at the five best-paid out Females’s university basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not only their spectacular salaries and also the achievements that justify their elite compensation.
one. Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Believed Yearly Income: $3.one million
Dawn Staley carries on to be the gold typical in Girls’s school basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has constructed South Carolina right into a perennial powerhouse. Given that taking on the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to various NCAA Ultimate 4 appearances and two national championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she designed headlines by signing a historic 7-yr, $22.four million contract, generating her the highest-paid out Black head mentor in Females's college or university basketball historical past. That offer has because been restructured and prolonged with efficiency incentives, inserting her firmly at the top of this checklist.
two. Geno Auriemma – College of Connecticut
Estimated Annual Wage: $two.nine million
A living legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies into a jaw-dropping eleven countrywide titles. His tenure at UConn, which began in 1985, has remodeled This system into one of the most dominant dynasties in university basketball heritage—men's or Ladies’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and regular performance have ensured profitable agreement renewals. His recent agreement features a foundation wage, media obligations, clothing promotions, and significant bonuses tied to NCAA Event runs. Even though UConn has faced modern troubles with accidents and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management hold his price significant.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Condition University (LSU)
Approximated Annual Salary: $two.seven million
Immediately after A prosperous two-ten years run at Baylor, the place she gained three national titles, Kim Mulkey stunned the basketball environment by signing up for LSU in 2021. In only her 2nd period With all the Tigers, she led them to some 2023 national championship, bringing a new amount of pleasure and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her higher-profile arrival arrived that has a beneficial 8-year, $23.six million agreement, creating her certainly one of the best-paid out Ladies’s coaches at any time. Noted for her passionate coaching type, flamboyant style, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in women's hoops.
four. Brenda Frese – University of Maryland
Approximated Annual Income: $1.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly created a model of regularity at Maryland given that taking on in 2002. With a number of conference championships, a countrywide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Tournament appearances, Frese has saved the Terrapins in nationwide rivalry for over twenty years.
Her extended-time period affect and advancement of major-tier talent have built her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Division. Her present-day deal features bonuses for M88 educational performance, wins, and postseason accomplishment—illustrating her dual dedication to athletics and university student advancement.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Estimated Yearly Income: $1.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not simply considered one of the highest-paid coaches and also the winningest mentor in NCAA Ladies's basketball historical past. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time gain record and has led Stanford to a few nationwide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and various Final Four appearances.
Although VanDerveer has not been just one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are correctly compensated. Her Management, development of WNBA stars, and dedication to excellence have solidified her area Among the many all-time greats in coaching record.
A Changing Landscape in Ladies's Basketball
The escalating salaries of those coaches are reflective on the rising popularity and financial viability of women’s school basketball. Programs are attracting much more national TV deals, ticket sales are growing, and company sponsors are getting to be extra invested in Gals's athletics.
The rise in coaching salaries is not just an indication of development—it’s a recognition in the labor, Management, and achievements these coaches convey for their plans as well as the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
Even though these five coaches currently guide the best way with regards to 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 built major strides with their respective plans and will 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 of all ages’s packages and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not just command significant salaries—they also mentor generations of athletes, form the culture of their universities, and elevate Gals’s basketball to new heights. Because the Activity continues to increase in popularity and assist, we can count on these salaries—and the profiles of these leaders—to continue soaring.
Ladies’s faculty basketball isn’t just keeping tempo—it’s placing the rate for the way forward for competitive sports activities.