Females’s college basketball has observed exponential expansion in viewership, expertise, and competitiveness in the last 10 years. With the elevated reputation and professional success from the sport, especially in NCAA Division I applications, coaching salaries have risen to replicate the worth and leadership these best-tier coaches carry to their groups and universities. As universities continue on to take a position within their Ladies’s athletics departments, a couple of standout coaches are reaping the financial benefits that come with creating powerhouse applications.
Here’s a think about the five highest-paid out Females’s school 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 Annual Income: $3.one million
Dawn Staley continues to generally 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. Given that taking on 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 contract, generating her the best-paid Black head mentor in Girls's college basketball heritage. That deal has considering 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: $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 reliable efficiency have ensured beneficial deal renewals. His current contract includes a foundation income, media obligations, clothing deals, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament operates. While UConn has faced latest issues with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership preserve his worth large.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana State College (LSU)
Believed Yearly Wage: $2.7 million
After a successful two-ten years operate at Baylor, the place she gained three national titles, Kim Mulkey stunned the basketball environment by becoming a member of LSU in 2021. In just her 2nd time Using the Tigers, she led them to the 2023 countrywide championship, bringing a completely new amount of pleasure and Highlight to Baton Rouge.
Her higher-profile arrival arrived using a valuable 8-yr, $23.six million agreement, producing her certainly one of the best-paid out Females’s coaches at any time. Recognized for her passionate coaching design, flamboyant fashion, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Gals's hoops.
4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Approximated Once-a-year Wage: $one.4 million
Brenda Frese has quietly built a design of regularity at Maryland due to the fact taking over in 2002. With various convention championships, a countrywide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Match appearances, Frese has saved the Terrapins in nationwide rivalry for over 20 years.
Her long-expression influence and progress of best-tier expertise have produced her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Section. Her current deal features bonuses for academic general performance, wins, and postseason good results—illustrating her twin commitment to athletics and college student enhancement.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
Approximated Yearly Wage: $1.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is don't just certainly one of the best-paid coaches and also the winningest mentor in NCAA M88 Ladies's basketball heritage. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time gain document and it has led Stanford to 3 countrywide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and numerous Last Four appearances.
Even though VanDerveer hasn't been one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are appropriately compensated. Her leadership, advancement of WNBA stars, and commitment to excellence have solidified her area Among the many all-time greats in coaching record.
A Shifting Landscape in Women of all ages's Basketball
The increasing salaries of these coaches are reflective from the developing acceptance and money viability of ladies’s faculty basketball. Systems are attracting extra countrywide Tv set specials, ticket profits are rising, and corporate sponsors have become much more invested in Ladies's sports.
The increase in coaching salaries is not simply a sign of development—it’s a recognition with the exertions, leadership, and good results these coaches deliver for their packages along with the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
Even though these five coaches currently guide the best way 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 such coaches has manufactured substantial strides with their respective programs and will break in the leading 5 in the coming yrs as Females's basketball proceeds to expand.
Final Feelings
The days of underfunded Gals’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 Women of all ages’s basketball to new heights. As the sport proceeds to develop in attractiveness and help, we could anticipate these salaries—plus the profiles of such leaders—to continue climbing.
Women of all ages’s university basketball isn’t just preserving rate—it’s setting the tempo for the future of aggressive sporting activities.