5 Highest-Paid Females's College Basketball Coaches

Women’s faculty basketball has seen exponential growth in viewership, talent, and competitiveness in the last ten years. Together with the amplified attractiveness and professional achievements of the Activity, specifically in NCAA Division I systems, coaching salaries have risen to mirror the value and leadership these top-tier coaches bring for their teams and universities. As universities proceed to invest of their Women of all ages’s athletics departments, a handful of standout coaches are reaping the money rewards that come with setting up powerhouse systems.

Listed here’s a look at the 5 maximum-paid Women of all ages’s faculty basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not simply their remarkable salaries but also the achievements that justify their elite payment.

1. Dawn Staley – College of South Carolina
Estimated Once-a-year Salary: $three.1 million

Dawn Staley proceeds for being the gold standard in Gals’s university basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has developed South Carolina right into a perennial powerhouse. Considering that taking over the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to various NCAA Ultimate 4 appearances and two national championships (2017 and 2022).

In 2021, she designed headlines by signing a historic 7-12 months, $22.four million contract, generating her the highest-paid out Black head mentor in women's higher education basketball history. That deal has due to the fact been restructured and extended with effectiveness incentives, placing her firmly at the very best of the record.

two. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Estimated Yearly Wage: $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 the program into Just about the most dominant dynasties in college or university basketball history—Gentlemen's or Women of all ages’s.

Auriemma’s longevity and consistent efficiency have ensured beneficial deal renewals. His present-day deal features a foundation salary, media obligations, attire offers, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Match runs. Although UConn has faced modern worries with accidents and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management continue to keep his value high.

3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Point out College (LSU)
Believed Yearly Wage: $2.7 million

Following a successful 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 period With all the Tigers, she led them to some 2023 national championship, bringing a new amount of excitement and spotlight to Baton Rouge.

Her high-profile arrival arrived by using a rewarding 8-12 months, $23.6 million deal, earning her one of the best-paid women’s coaches at any time. Known for her passionate coaching fashion, flamboyant manner, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Gals's hoops.

4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Estimated Once-a-year Wage: $one.4 million

Brenda Frese has quietly built a design of consistency at Maryland considering the fact that taking up in 2002. With multiple convention championships, a national title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Match appearances, Frese has kept the Terrapins in nationwide contention for over twenty years.

Her extended-time period effect and development of major-tier talent have designed her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Division. Her latest deal involves bonuses for academic functionality, wins, and postseason success—illustrating her dual motivation to athletics and student growth.

five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Estimated Yearly Wage: $one.three million

Tara VanDerveer is not just one among the best-compensated coaches but additionally the winningest coach in NCAA Gals's basketball history. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time get report and it has led Stanford to 3 countrywide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and numerous Last Four appearances.

Even though VanDerveer has not been a person to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are appropriately compensated. Her leadership, improvement of WNBA stars, and dedication to excellence have solidified her area Among the many all-time greats in coaching record.

A Changing Landscape in Ladies's Basketball
The escalating 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 countrywide Television set specials, ticket profits are expanding, and company sponsors have gotten far more invested in Girls's sports activities.

The rise in coaching salaries is not merely an indication of progress—it’s a recognition from the hard work, Management, and accomplishment these coaches carry to their courses as well as sport as a whole.

Honorable Mentions
Though these five coaches presently M88 guide how regarding earnings, numerous Other people are rising:

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 approaching many years as Gals's basketball continues to mature.

Ultimate Views
The days of underfunded Women of all ages’s plans and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not only command substantial salaries—they also mentor generations of athletes, form the lifestyle of their universities, and elevate Girls’s basketball to new heights. As the sport proceeds to develop in level of popularity and help, we can easily count on 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 tempo for the future of competitive athletics.