5 Best-Compensated Women's Higher education Basketball Coaches

Females’s school basketball has found exponential advancement in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past ten years. Along with the greater attractiveness and industrial achievements with the sport, particularly 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 Females’s athletics departments, several standout coaches are reaping the monetary 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 just their impressive salaries but will also the achievements that justify their elite compensation.

one. Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Believed Yearly Income: $3.one million

Dawn Staley carries on to be the gold typical in Girls’s school basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has constructed South Carolina right into a perennial powerhouse. Given that taking on the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to many NCAA Last 4 appearances and two countrywide championships (2017 and 2022).

In 2021, she manufactured headlines by signing a historic seven-year, $22.4 million deal, earning her the highest-paid out Black head mentor in Females's college or university basketball historical past. That offer has given that been restructured and prolonged with overall performance incentives, inserting her firmly at the top 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 countrywide titles. His tenure at UConn, which commenced in 1985, has transformed the program into The most dominant dynasties in college basketball background—Gentlemen's or Women of all ages’s.

Auriemma’s longevity and constant functionality have ensured beneficial deal renewals. His current contract includes a base salary, media obligations, apparel deals, 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 worth higher.

3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana State College (LSU)
Believed Once-a-year Wage: $2.7 million

Right after a successful two-decade operate at Baylor, where by she received 3 nationwide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball globe by joining LSU in 2021. In only her 2nd period 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 large-profile arrival arrived which has a beneficial 8-year, $23.six million agreement, producing her certainly one of the best-paid out Ladies’s coaches at any time. 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 – University of Maryland
Approximated Annual Wage: $1.4 million

Brenda Frese has quietly developed a product of consistency at Maryland because taking on in 2002. With several meeting championships, a nationwide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Event appearances, Frese has retained the Terrapins in national competition for more than 20 years.

Her long-expression impact and progress of best-tier expertise have produced her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Section. Her current deal features bonuses for educational general performance, wins, and postseason good results—illustrating her twin commitment to athletics and scholar improvement.

5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Estimated Annual Wage: $one.three million

Tara VanDerveer is not just one among the best-paid coaches but in addition the winningest mentor in NCAA Girls's basketball record. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time get file and it has led Stanford to a few countrywide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and various Final Four appearances.

Although VanDerveer has not been just one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are correctly compensated. Her M88 Management, improvement of WNBA stars, and dedication to excellence have solidified her area Among the many all-time greats in coaching heritage.

A Switching Landscape in Women's Basketball
The growing salaries of these coaches are reflective in the increasing level of popularity and economical viability of girls’s college or university basketball. Programs are attracting more national Television set promotions, ticket gross sales are expanding, and company sponsors have gotten far more invested in Females's sports activities.

The rise in coaching salaries is not merely an indication of progress—it’s a recognition of the effort, Management, and accomplishment these coaches carry to their programs and the Activity as a whole.

Honorable Mentions
Whilst these 5 coaches at this time direct the way in which when it comes to earnings, several others are going up:

Kelly Graves (Oregon)

Vic Schaefer (Texas)

Jeff Walz (Louisville)

Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)

Each and every of these coaches has built important strides with their respective plans and will split into the top rated five in the approaching many years as Women of all ages'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 Girls’s basketball to new heights. As the sport proceeds to develop in level of popularity and assistance, we could anticipate these salaries—plus the profiles of these leaders—to continue climbing.

Women’s higher education basketball isn’t just keeping tempo—it’s placing the rate for the way forward for competitive sports activities.