Females’s school basketball has seen exponential development in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past decade. While using the increased recognition and industrial good results in the sport, especially in NCAA Division I plans, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the worth and Management these top rated-tier coaches carry to their teams and universities. As universities continue to speculate inside their Girls’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 only their spectacular salaries and 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 Females’s college basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has built South Carolina right into a perennial powerhouse. Due to the fact taking up the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to many NCAA Last 4 appearances and two national championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she manufactured headlines by signing a historic seven-yr, $22.four million deal, producing her the best-paid Black head coach in Women of all ages's university basketball record. That deal has considering that been restructured and prolonged with functionality incentives, positioning her firmly at the top of this listing.
two. Geno Auriemma – College of Connecticut
Estimated Annual Wage: $2.nine million
A dwelling legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to a jaw-dropping 11 national titles. His tenure at UConn, which started in 1985, has remodeled This system into one of the most dominant dynasties in university basketball heritage—Adult males's or Ladies’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and steady effectiveness have ensured lucrative contract renewals. His present contract includes a base salary, media obligations, apparel offers, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament operates. While UConn has faced recent difficulties with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management keep his value high.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Point out College (LSU)
Approximated Annual Salary: $two.seven million
Immediately after An effective two-10 years run at Baylor, exactly where she won a few nationwide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball globe by joining LSU in 2021. In only her second season Along with the Tigers, she led them to your 2023 nationwide championship, bringing a fresh level of pleasure and Highlight to Baton Rouge.
Her large-profile arrival came which has a valuable eight-year, $23.six million agreement, creating her one of the 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 Salary: $1.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly created a model of regularity at Maryland given that taking on in 2002. With several meeting championships, a nationwide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Event appearances, Frese has held the Terrapins in countrywide contention for more than two decades.
Her very long-term impression and improvement of top rated-tier talent have designed her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic department. Her recent offer contains bonuses for tutorial efficiency, wins, and postseason achievements—illustrating her dual dedication to athletics and university student improvement.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Believed Annual Salary: $1.three million
Tara VanDerveer is don't just certainly one of the very best-compensated coaches but will 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 4 appearances.
While VanDerveer has never been one particular to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are properly compensated. Her Management, enhancement of WNBA stars, and determination to excellence have solidified her location One of the all-time greats in coaching background.
A Shifting Landscape in Gals's Basketball
The expanding salaries of such coaches are reflective of your growing recognition and monetary viability of women’s school basketball. Plans are attracting a lot more national TV deals, ticket sales are increasing, and company sponsors are getting to be additional invested in Girls's athletics.
The rise in coaching salaries is not just 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 guide how with regards to earnings, a number of 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 Ladies's basketball proceeds to expand.
Remaining 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 M88 generations of athletes, form the culture of their universities, and elevate Gals’s basketball to new heights. Because the sport 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 school basketball isn’t just trying to keep rate—it’s setting the pace for the future of competitive athletics.