five Optimum-Paid out Women of all ages's Higher education Basketball Coaches
five Optimum-Paid out Women of all ages's Higher education Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Ladies’s university basketball has found exponential growth in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past decade. Together with the amplified popularity and commercial success of the Activity, specifically in NCAA Division I courses, coaching salaries have risen to replicate the worth and leadership these best-tier coaches deliver to their groups and universities. As universities continue on to take a position within their Ladies’s athletics departments, a couple of standout coaches are reaping the financial benefits that include creating powerhouse applications.
Here’s a think about the five highest-paid out Females’s school basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not only their impressive salaries but also 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 normal in women’s faculty basketball coaching. A former WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has crafted South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Since taking up This system in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to numerous NCAA Remaining Four appearances and two nationwide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she made headlines by signing a historic 7-calendar year, $22.4 million agreement, making her the very best-compensated Black head mentor in Females's college or university basketball historical past. That offer has because been restructured and extended with overall performance incentives, inserting her firmly at the best of this checklist.
2. Geno Auriemma – College of Connecticut
Believed Once-a-year Salary: $2.9 million
A dwelling legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to a jaw-dropping 11 nationwide titles. His tenure at UConn, which started in 1985, has reworked This system into Probably the most dominant dynasties in higher education basketball record—Adult men's or Girls’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and consistent efficiency have ensured beneficial deal renewals. His current contract includes a base income, media obligations, apparel deals, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament runs. While UConn has faced current troubles with accidents and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership hold his price substantial.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana State University (LSU)
Believed Once-a-year Income: $two.7 million
Following a successful two-decade operate at Baylor, where by she received 3 nationwide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball world 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 high-profile arrival arrived by using a rewarding 8-12 months, $23.6 million contract, making her amongst the very best-paid women’s coaches at any time. Known for her passionate coaching style, flamboyant vogue, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Girls's hoops.
4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Estimated Yearly Salary: $one.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly designed a design of regularity at Maryland considering that taking over in 2002. With many conference 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 influence and enhancement of prime-tier expertise have manufactured her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic department. Her recent offer contains bonuses for tutorial overall performance, wins, and postseason results—illustrating her dual dedication to athletics and scholar improvement.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Believed Once-a-year Salary: $1.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not just one of the very best-compensated coaches but also the winningest coach in NCAA Girls's basketball history. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time earn record and has led Stanford to three national titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Ultimate 4 appearances.
Whilst VanDerveer hasn't been one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford M88 has ensured that her legacy and contributions are appropriately compensated. Her leadership, advancement of WNBA stars, and motivation to excellence have solidified her position Amongst the all-time greats in coaching record.
A Changing Landscape in Ladies's Basketball
The escalating salaries of those coaches are reflective on the rising attractiveness and financial viability of girls’s college or university basketball. Programs are attracting additional countrywide Tv set discounts, ticket profits are growing, and corporate sponsors are getting to be extra invested in Women of all ages's sports.
The increase in coaching salaries is not merely a sign of development—it’s a recognition of your exertions, leadership, and good results these coaches provide to their systems plus the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
When these five coaches currently guide the best way with regards to earnings, several Many others are going up:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Each and every of such coaches has manufactured significant strides with their respective programs and will crack in to the top 5 in the approaching many years as Girls's basketball proceeds to improve.
Remaining Ideas
The times of underfunded Females’s courses and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches don't just command large salaries—Additionally they mentor generations of athletes, form the tradition in their universities, and elevate Women of all ages’s basketball to new heights. As being the Activity continues to increase in reputation and aid, we are able to be expecting these salaries—as well as the profiles of such leaders—to carry on increasing.
Girls’s college basketball isn’t just trying to keep speed—it’s location the pace for the future of competitive athletics.