Ladies’s school basketball has witnessed exponential advancement in viewership, expertise, and competitiveness in the last ten years. Together with the greater popularity and commercial success from the sport, specifically in NCAA Division I programs, coaching salaries have risen to replicate the worth and Management these prime-tier coaches carry to their groups and universities. As universities continue to speculate inside their Girls’s athletics departments, a number of standout coaches are reaping the economic rewards that include constructing powerhouse plans.
Right here’s a look at the 5 greatest-paid Gals’s faculty basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not merely their extraordinary salaries but also the achievements that justify their elite payment.
1. Dawn Staley – College of South Carolina
Estimated Yearly Salary: $three.1 million
Dawn Staley carries on to become the gold standard in Girls’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 many NCAA Last Four appearances and two national championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she made headlines by signing a historic 7-calendar year, $22.4 million agreement, making her the very best-compensated Black head coach in Girls's school basketball heritage. That offer has given that been restructured and prolonged with efficiency incentives, positioning her firmly at the top of this listing.
two. Geno Auriemma – College of Connecticut
Estimated Annual Wage: $two.nine million
A dwelling legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to a jaw-dropping 11 nationwide titles. His tenure at UConn, which started in 1985, has remodeled This system into Probably the most dominant dynasties in higher education basketball record—Males's or Females’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and reliable performance have ensured rewarding agreement renewals. His recent agreement includes a base wage, media obligations, attire discounts, and significant bonuses tied to NCAA Match runs. Even though UConn has confronted modern worries with accidents and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management retain his value significant.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana State University (LSU)
Approximated Yearly Wage: $2.7 million
Right after a successful two-decade run at Baylor, wherever she won 3 countrywide titles, Kim Mulkey stunned the basketball earth by becoming a member of LSU in 2021. In just her second time with the Tigers, she led them to the 2023 countrywide championship, bringing a completely new amount of pleasure and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her high-profile arrival arrived by using a worthwhile 8-calendar year, $23.6 million contract, earning her considered one of the very best-paid Women of all ages’s coaches ever. 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 M88 Maryland
Estimated Yearly Salary: $one.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly designed a model of regularity at Maryland given that taking on in 2002. With many conference championships, a nationwide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Tournament appearances, Frese has retained the Terrapins in national competition for more than 20 years.
Her extensive-phrase impact and growth of leading-tier expertise have made her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Section. Her current deal features bonuses for academic general performance, wins, and postseason good results—illustrating her twin determination to athletics and college student enhancement.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
Approximated Once-a-year Income: $1.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not merely one of the highest-paid out coaches and also the winningest coach in NCAA Females's basketball heritage. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time gain document and has led Stanford to a few nationwide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Remaining Four appearances.
Whilst VanDerveer has not been just one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are correctly compensated. Her Management, development of WNBA stars, and dedication 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 in the increasing level of popularity and economical viability of girls’s college or university basketball. Programs are attracting more nationwide TV deals, ticket profits are escalating, and company sponsors have become extra invested in Gals's sporting activities.
The increase in coaching salaries is not only a sign of development—it’s a recognition with the labor, leadership, and success these coaches bring for their packages as well as the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
Even though these five coaches now direct the way in which when it comes 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 these coaches has designed considerable strides with their respective programs and will break in the leading 5 in the coming yrs as Females's basketball proceeds to increase.
Final Feelings
The times of underfunded Females’s programs and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not merely command high salaries—Additionally they mentor generations of athletes, condition the tradition of their universities, and elevate Females’s basketball to new heights. Because the sport carries on to increase in attractiveness and assistance, we can easily assume these salaries—and the profiles of those leaders—to carry on soaring.
Females’s college or university basketball isn’t just maintaining speed—it’s placing the rate for the future of competitive sporting activities.