Women’s faculty basketball has witnessed exponential progress in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past 10 years. With the elevated popularity and business success on the Activity, specifically in NCAA Division I applications, coaching salaries have risen to replicate the worth and leadership these prime-tier coaches provide to their groups and universities. As universities proceed to invest in their women’s athletics departments, several standout coaches are reaping the economic benefits that come with creating powerhouse programs.
In this article’s a consider the 5 greatest-compensated Females’s faculty basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not merely their spectacular salaries but will also the achievements that justify their elite payment.
1. Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Believed Yearly Salary: $three.1 million
Dawn Staley proceeds to get the gold conventional in Females’s university basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has created South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Considering the fact that taking on This system in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to numerous NCAA Last Four appearances and two countrywide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she designed headlines by signing a historic seven-year, $22.4 million contract, building her the best-paid Black head mentor in Females's college or university basketball historical past. That deal has considering the fact that been restructured and prolonged with efficiency incentives, inserting her firmly at the highest of this checklist.
2. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Estimated Yearly Income: $2.nine million
A residing legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to your jaw-dropping 11 national titles. His tenure at UConn, which started in 1985, has reworked This system into One of the more dominant dynasties in higher education basketball heritage—Adult men's or Women of all ages’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and dependable general performance have ensured valuable agreement renewals. His present deal includes a foundation income, media obligations, attire deals, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Event runs. When UConn has faced new problems with accidents and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management preserve his value significant.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana State University (LSU)
Approximated Once-a-year Income: $two.7 million
Soon after A prosperous two-decade run at Baylor, in which she gained 3 nationwide titles, Kim Mulkey stunned the basketball environment by joining LSU in 2021. In only her next time With all the Tigers, she led them to your 2023 nationwide championship, bringing a different amount of pleasure and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her substantial-profile arrival came using a worthwhile 8-year, $23.six million agreement, generating her one among the very best-paid out Girls’s coaches at any time. Recognized for her passionate coaching type, flamboyant trend, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Females's hoops.
four. Brenda Frese – University of Maryland
Believed Once-a-year Salary: $one.4 million
Brenda Frese has quietly crafted a design of regularity at Maryland since taking up in 2002. With numerous meeting championships, a national title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Event appearances, Frese has stored the Terrapins in nationwide contention for over 20 years.
Her lengthy-expression influence and enhancement of M88 best-tier expertise have produced her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Section. Her present-day deal involves bonuses for tutorial efficiency, wins, and postseason results—illustrating her twin determination to athletics and student advancement.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
Believed Once-a-year Wage: $one.three million
Tara VanDerveer is not merely among the highest-paid out coaches but in addition the winningest coach in NCAA Girls's basketball historical past. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time acquire file and has led Stanford to three national titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and various Last 4 appearances.
When VanDerveer has never been one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are correctly compensated. Her Management, growth of WNBA stars, and dedication to excellence have solidified her spot One of the all-time greats in coaching history.
A Switching Landscape in Gals's Basketball
The escalating salaries of such coaches are reflective from the rising acceptance and financial viability of ladies’s college or university basketball. Plans are attracting extra national TV discounts, ticket gross sales are growing, and corporate sponsors have become additional invested in Women of all ages's sports.
The increase in coaching salaries is not merely an indication of development—it’s a recognition with the exertions, leadership, and accomplishment these coaches provide to their packages plus the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
Though these 5 coaches at the moment lead the way in which when it comes to earnings, a number of Other people are rising:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Each individual of such coaches has built important strides with their respective plans and will break in the leading 5 in the approaching a long time as Women of all ages's basketball carries on to mature.
Ultimate Ideas
The times of underfunded Ladies’s systems and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not just command superior salaries—they also mentor generations of athletes, shape the tradition in their universities, and elevate Women of all ages’s basketball to new heights. Because the sport continues to increase in popularity and help, we could hope these salaries—and also the profiles of these leaders—to carry on increasing.
Ladies’s higher education basketball isn’t just preserving speed—it’s placing the tempo for the future of aggressive athletics.