Women of all ages’s college or university basketball has observed exponential expansion in viewership, expertise, and competitiveness in the last ten years. With all the amplified recognition and business achievements of the sport, especially in NCAA Division I applications, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the value and Management these major-tier coaches convey for their groups and universities. As universities keep on to take a position within their Ladies’s athletics departments, a couple of standout coaches are reaping the financial benefits that come with developing powerhouse programs.
In this article’s a consider the five highest-compensated Girls’s university basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not just their impressive salaries but will also the achievements that justify their elite compensation.
one. Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Estimated Yearly Salary: $three.one million
Dawn Staley carries on for being the gold standard in Gals’s university basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has created South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Because taking on the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to multiple NCAA Closing Four appearances and two nationwide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she made headlines by signing a historic seven-year, $22.4 million deal, producing her the best-paid Black head mentor in women's faculty basketball history. That offer has since been restructured and extended with overall performance incentives, inserting her firmly at the best of this checklist.
two. Geno Auriemma – College of Connecticut
Estimated Yearly Income: $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 started in 1985, has reworked This system into Just about the most dominant dynasties in faculty basketball history—Guys's or Gals’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and consistent efficiency have ensured beneficial deal renewals. His current contract includes a base salary, media obligations, apparel bargains, and significant bonuses tied to NCAA Match operates. When UConn has confronted the latest challenges with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management keep his value higher.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana State College (LSU)
Believed Once-a-year Income: $two.7 million
Soon after An effective two-10 years run at Baylor, in which she won three nationwide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball globe by joining LSU in 2021. In only her next year Along with the Tigers, she led them to your 2023 nationwide championship, bringing a whole new degree of excitement and Highlight to Baton Rouge.
Her significant-profile arrival came that has a valuable 8-yr, $23.six million agreement, building her one among the very best-paid women’s coaches at any time. Recognized for her passionate coaching fashion, flamboyant fashion, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Women of all ages's hoops.
four. Brenda Frese – University of Maryland
Believed Annual Income: $1.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly designed a design of consistency at Maryland because 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-term affect and advancement of top-tier talent have made her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Section. Her current deal includes bonuses for educational performance, wins, and postseason results—illustrating her dual dedication to athletics and university student advancement.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Estimated Yearly Wage: $one.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not merely amongst the highest-paid out coaches but will also the winningest coach in NCAA Females's basketball record. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time win file and it has led Stanford to 3 national titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and numerous Ultimate 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 Management, enhancement of WNBA stars, and commitment to excellence have solidified her spot Among the many all-time greats in coaching heritage.
A Switching 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. Plans are attracting far more nationwide Television discounts, ticket income are rising, and corporate sponsors have become a lot more invested in Females's sports activities.
The rise in coaching salaries is not just an indication of progress—it’s a recognition in the labor, leadership, and success these coaches convey for their packages along with the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
When these five coaches presently guide how regarding earnings, many Other individuals are on the rise:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Each individual of those coaches has produced significant strides with their respective systems and could crack to the major 5 in the coming many years as Females's M88 basketball proceeds to increase.
Final Feelings
The days of underfunded Gals’s plans and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches don't just command superior salaries—Additionally they mentor generations of athletes, shape the lifestyle in their universities, and elevate Girls’s basketball to new heights. As the sport proceeds to grow in attractiveness and help, we can easily anticipate these salaries—as well as profiles of these leaders—to continue mounting.
Women’s higher education basketball isn’t just keeping tempo—it’s placing the speed for the way forward for aggressive sports.