Women’s college basketball has noticed exponential expansion in viewership, expertise, and competitiveness in the last 10 years. Using the improved acceptance and business results with the Activity, particularly in NCAA Division I packages, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the value and Management these major-tier coaches convey for their groups and universities. As universities continue on to take a position within their Ladies’s athletics departments, a few standout coaches are reaping the financial benefits that come with developing powerhouse programs.
In this article’s a consider the five best-paid out Ladies’s college basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing don't just their amazing salaries but additionally the achievements that justify their elite payment.
1. Dawn Staley – College of South Carolina
Approximated Once-a-year Wage: $three.1 million
Dawn Staley proceeds for being the gold standard in Gals’s higher education basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has created South Carolina right into a perennial powerhouse. Considering that taking over the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to numerous NCAA Remaining 4 appearances and two nationwide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she produced headlines by signing a historic 7-calendar year, $22.4 million agreement, making her the very best-compensated Black head mentor in Females's college basketball historical past. That offer has because been restructured and extended with performance incentives, putting her firmly at the highest of the list.
2. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Approximated Yearly Income: $two.nine million
A living legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies into a jaw-dropping eleven countrywide titles. His tenure at UConn, which commenced in 1985, has transformed the program into The most dominant dynasties in faculty basketball history—Guys's or Girls’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and dependable overall performance have ensured worthwhile agreement renewals. His recent contract includes a base salary, media obligations, apparel bargains, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament runs. Whilst UConn has faced latest issues with accidents and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership continue to keep his worth substantial.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Condition University (LSU)
Estimated Once-a-year Income: $two.7 million
Right after An effective two-decade operate at Baylor, where by she received 3 nationwide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball world by signing up for LSU in 2021. In only her 2nd season Using the Tigers, she led them to a 2023 national championship, bringing a fresh degree of excitement and Highlight to Baton Rouge.
Her substantial-profile arrival came with a valuable eight-yr, $23.6 million agreement, generating her amongst the very 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 developed a product of consistency at Maryland because taking on in 2002. With numerous meeting championships, a national title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Match appearances, Frese has saved the Terrapins in nationwide rivalry for over twenty years.
Her extended-time period effect and enhancement of prime-tier expertise have created her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic department. Her current offer consists of bonuses for educational overall performance, wins, and postseason results—illustrating her dual dedication to athletics and scholar improvement.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Believed Annual Salary: $1.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not simply certainly one of the very best-paid out coaches but will also the winningest coach in NCAA Ladies's basketball historical past. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time gain record and has led Stanford to three national titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Closing 4 appearances.
Though VanDerveer hasn't been 1 to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are properly compensated. Her leadership, growth of WNBA stars, and motivation to excellence have solidified her area Among the many all-time greats in coaching record.
A Altering Landscape in Females's Basketball
The rising salaries of those coaches are reflective on the rising level of popularity and economical viability of girls’s college or university basketball. Courses are attracting extra countrywide Television set specials, ticket product sales are growing, and corporate sponsors have become a lot 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 good results these coaches deliver to their systems plus the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
When these five coaches currently guide the best way with regards to earnings, several Many others are going up:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Each and every of such coaches has manufactured substantial strides with their respective programs and could crack to the top 5 in the coming yrs as M88 women's basketball proceeds to develop.
Remaining Ideas
The times of underfunded Ladies’s courses and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not just command superior salaries—they also mentor generations of athletes, form the culture of their universities, and elevate Gals’s basketball to new heights. Because the Activity proceeds to develop in level of popularity and assistance, we could expect these salaries—along with the profiles of such leaders—to continue growing.
Gals’s college basketball isn’t just trying to keep rate—it’s location the pace for the future of competitive athletics.