five Greatest-Paid Girls's College Basketball Coaches
five Greatest-Paid Girls's College Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Ladies’s higher education basketball has found exponential growth in viewership, talent, and competitiveness in the last ten years. Together with the amplified popularity and commercial achievement from the sport, especially in NCAA Division I plans, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the value and Management these top rated-tier coaches convey for their teams and universities. As universities continue on to take a position within their Females’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-compensated Girls’s university basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not only their impressive salaries and also the achievements that justify their elite compensation.
one. Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Believed Once-a-year Salary: $three.1 million
Dawn Staley proceeds to get the gold regular in Women of all ages’s faculty basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has developed South Carolina right into a perennial powerhouse. Given that taking on the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to multiple NCAA Remaining Four appearances and two nationwide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she produced headlines by signing a historic seven-calendar year, $22.4 million agreement, creating her the very best-compensated Black head coach in Gals's school basketball heritage. That offer has given that been restructured and prolonged with overall performance incentives, inserting her firmly at the best of this checklist.
two. Geno Auriemma – College 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 started in 1985, has reworked This system into Probably the most dominant dynasties in higher education basketball record—Males's or Girls’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and dependable overall performance have ensured worthwhile agreement renewals. His latest deal features a foundation income, media obligations, clothing promotions, and significant bonuses tied to NCAA Event operates. Though UConn has confronted the latest challenges with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership maintain his price higher.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Condition College (LSU)
Approximated Yearly Wage: $2.7 million
Soon after An effective two-10 years run at Baylor, exactly where she received three countrywide titles, Kim Mulkey stunned the basketball earth by becoming a member of LSU in 2021. In just her second time While using the Tigers, she led them to a 2023 countrywide championship, bringing a different stage of excitement and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her higher-profile arrival arrived with a worthwhile eight-12 months, $23.six million contract, making her amongst the best-paid Ladies’s coaches at any time. Recognized for her passionate coaching fashion, flamboyant manner, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Gals's hoops.
4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Approximated Once-a-year Wage: $one.4 million
Brenda Frese has quietly built a design of consistency at Maryland given that taking over in 2002. With numerous conference championships, a national title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Tournament appearances, Frese has saved the Terrapins in countrywide competition for more than two decades.
Her very long-phrase effects and growth of top-tier talent have made her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Division. Her current deal incorporates bonuses for academic effectiveness, wins, and postseason good results—illustrating her twin determination to athletics and pupil progress.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
Approximated Yearly Income: $1.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not merely one of the highest-paid out coaches and also the winningest mentor in NCAA Ladies's basketball historical past. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time earn history and has led Stanford to three national titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Closing 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 leadership, progress of WNBA stars, and determination to excellence have solidified her place among the all-time greats in coaching background.
A Shifting Landscape in Women of all ages's Basketball
The increasing salaries of these coaches are reflective from the expanding acceptance and fiscal viability of ladies’s higher education basketball. Systems are attracting additional countrywide Tv set specials, ticket profits are raising, and corporate sponsors have become much more invested in Girls's sports activities.
The rise in coaching salaries is not just an indication of progress—it’s a recognition from the hard work, leadership, and good results these coaches carry to their applications as well as the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
Even though these five coaches presently guide how regarding earnings, numerous Other people are rising:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart M88 (North Carolina)
Just about every of those coaches has produced sizeable strides with their respective packages and could split in to the major five in the approaching several years as Ladies's basketball proceeds to develop.
Remaining Ideas
The times of underfunded Females’s programs and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not simply command higher salaries—Additionally they mentor generations of athletes, condition the tradition in their universities, and elevate Ladies’s basketball to new heights. As being the Activity continues to improve in reputation and aid, we are able to hope these salaries—as well as the profiles of those leaders—to carry on increasing.
Gals’s college basketball isn’t just trying to keep rate—it’s setting the tempo for the future of aggressive sporting activities.