Females’s faculty basketball has seen exponential development in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past decade. With the elevated reputation and business accomplishment of your Activity, specifically in NCAA Division I systems, coaching salaries have risen to replicate the value and leadership these top-tier coaches bring for their teams and universities. As universities proceed to invest in their Women of all ages’s athletics departments, a handful of standout coaches are reaping the economical rewards that come with building powerhouse courses.
Below’s a consider the five optimum-paid out Ladies’s college basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing don't just their outstanding salaries but in addition the achievements that justify their elite compensation.
one. Dawn Staley – College of South Carolina
Approximated Annual Wage: $3.1 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 designed 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 countrywide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she produced headlines by signing a historic seven-year, $22.4 million agreement, creating her the very best-compensated Black head coach in Girls's university basketball background. 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 Annual Salary: $2.9 million
A residing legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to the jaw-dropping 11 national titles. His tenure at UConn, which began in 1985, has remodeled This system into one of the most dominant dynasties in university basketball historical past—Adult males's or Ladies’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and regular general performance have ensured valuable deal renewals. His current contract includes a base salary, media obligations, apparel offers, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament runs. While 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 Salary: $2.seven million
After A prosperous two-ten years operate at Baylor, the place she won three countrywide titles, Kim Mulkey stunned the basketball earth by becoming a member of LSU in 2021. In just her second season Together with the Tigers, she led them into a 2023 national championship, bringing a brand new level of pleasure and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her higher-profile arrival arrived which has a beneficial 8-year, $23.six million contract, making her one of the best-paid women’s coaches at any time. Known for her passionate coaching design and style, flamboyant vogue, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Females's hoops.
four. Brenda Frese – University of Maryland
Believed Yearly Income: $1.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly created a model of regularity at Maryland given that taking on 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 twenty years.
Her prolonged-term affect and development of top rated-tier talent have manufactured her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic department. Her recent offer contains bonuses for tutorial overall performance, wins, and postseason achievements—illustrating her dual dedication to athletics and university student improvement.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
Estimated Yearly Income: $one.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not merely amongst the highest-paid out 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 countrywide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Closing 4 appearances.
Although VanDerveer has never been one particular to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are properly compensated. Her Management, development of WNBA stars, and determination to excellence have solidified her place One of the M88 all-time greats in coaching background.
A Switching Landscape in Girls's Basketball
The rising salaries of these coaches are reflective in the developing level of popularity and economical viability of ladies’s faculty basketball. Systems are attracting additional nationwide Television offers, ticket revenue are escalating, and corporate sponsors are becoming more invested in women's sporting activities.
The increase in coaching salaries is not simply a sign of development—it’s a recognition of your exertions, leadership, and achievement these coaches deliver for their applications plus the Activity in general.
Honorable Mentions
Although these five coaches now direct the best way with regards to earnings, a number of others are going up:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Every single of these coaches has built important strides with their respective applications and will break into your prime 5 in the coming years as Gals's basketball continues to mature.
Ultimate Views
The days of underfunded Women of all ages’s packages and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not only command substantial salaries—they also mentor generations of athletes, form the society of their universities, and elevate Females’s basketball to new heights. As being the sport proceeds to increase in recognition and help, we are able to count on these salaries—and the profiles of those leaders—to carry on soaring.
Females’s college or university basketball isn’t just maintaining speed—it’s location the rate for the future of competitive sports activities.