five Greatest-Paid Girls's College Basketball Coaches
five Greatest-Paid Girls's College Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Women’s higher education basketball has seen exponential growth in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past ten years. Together with the greater attractiveness and professional achievements of your Activity, particularly in NCAA Division I packages, coaching salaries have risen to mirror the value and Management these top rated-tier coaches provide to their teams and universities. As universities continue to speculate inside their Females’s athletics departments, several standout coaches are reaping the monetary benefits that include creating powerhouse applications.
Here’s a think about the five best-paid out Females’s school basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not only their outstanding salaries but in addition the achievements that justify their elite compensation.
one. Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Approximated Once-a-year Income: $three.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 crafted South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Considering the fact that taking up This system in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to several 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, earning her the highest-paid out Black head mentor in Females's college or university basketball background. That offer has since been restructured and extended with general performance incentives, placing her firmly at the highest of the record.
2. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Approximated Yearly Income: $two.nine million
A living legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to some jaw-dropping 11 nationwide titles. His tenure at UConn, which commenced in 1985, has reworked This system into Just about 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 recent agreement includes a base wage, media obligations, apparel bargains, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Match runs. Although UConn has faced current problems with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership maintain his value higher.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Point out College (LSU)
Approximated Yearly Wage: $2.seven million
Just after A prosperous two-10 years run at Baylor, in which she won a few countrywide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball planet by joining LSU in 2021. In only her next period Together with the Tigers, she led them to some 2023 national championship, bringing a new amount of excitement and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her superior-profile arrival arrived using a profitable 8-12 months, $23.6 million deal, generating M88 her among the highest-compensated Females’s coaches ever. Recognized for her passionate coaching design, flamboyant fashion, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Women of all ages's hoops.
4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Approximated Annual Wage: $1.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly constructed a product of consistency at Maryland given 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 more than 20 years.
Her long-phrase impact and growth of leading-tier expertise have made her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Division. Her present-day deal incorporates bonuses for academic functionality, wins, and postseason success—illustrating her dual motivation to athletics and student advancement.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Estimated Annual Wage: $one.three million
Tara VanDerveer is not only among the very best-compensated coaches but also the winningest coach in NCAA Females's basketball heritage. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time gain document and has led Stanford to a few nationwide 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 put among the all-time greats in coaching history.
A Modifying Landscape in Females's Basketball
The rising salaries of those coaches are reflective with the rising attractiveness and financial viability of girls’s college or university basketball. Programs are attracting more countrywide Television set promotions, ticket profits are raising, and company sponsors have become much more invested in Ladies's sports.
The increase in coaching salaries is not simply a sign of development—it’s a recognition of your exertions, leadership, and achievement these coaches bring for their packages along with the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
Even though these five coaches now direct the way in which when it comes to earnings, several Some others are increasing:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Every of such coaches has created substantial strides with their respective courses and could crack in to the top five in the approaching several years as women's basketball carries on to develop.
Closing Thoughts
The times of underfunded women’s packages and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not merely command large salaries—Additionally they mentor generations of athletes, condition the tradition in their universities, and elevate women’s basketball to new heights. Since the Activity continues to expand in popularity and assist, we can easily count on these salaries—as well as profiles of these leaders—to continue climbing.
Women of all ages’s university basketball isn’t just preserving rate—it’s setting the tempo for the future of aggressive athletics.