Women of all ages’s college or university basketball has noticed exponential progress in viewership, expertise, and competitiveness in the last 10 years. With the elevated reputation and industrial good results on the sport, especially in NCAA Division I plans, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the worth and Management these top rated-tier coaches provide to their teams 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 think about the 5 greatest-compensated Gals’s higher education basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not just their impressive salaries but will also the achievements that justify their elite payment.
one. Dawn Staley – College of South Carolina
Estimated Once-a-year Salary: $three.1 million
Dawn Staley carries on to become the gold conventional in Girls’s university basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has created South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Due to the fact taking over This system in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to numerous NCAA Remaining Four appearances and two nationwide 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 college basketball heritage. That offer has since been restructured and extended with functionality incentives, positioning her firmly at the very best of the record.
2. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Believed Annual Salary: $two.9 million
A residing legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to a jaw-dropping 11 nationwide titles. His tenure at UConn, which commenced in 1985, has transformed the program into One of the more dominant dynasties in university basketball heritage—men's or Females’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and dependable overall performance have ensured beneficial deal renewals. His current contract includes a base wage, media obligations, attire specials, and significant bonuses tied to NCAA Event operates. While UConn has faced latest issues with accidents and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management retain his benefit superior.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Point out College (LSU)
Believed Yearly Wage: $2.7 million
Right after An effective two-10 years run at Baylor, in which she won three national titles, Kim Mulkey stunned the basketball world by signing up for LSU in 2021. In only her 2nd period Together with the Tigers, she led them into a 2023 nationwide championship, bringing a fresh degree of pleasure and Highlight to Baton Rouge.
Her substantial-profile arrival came using a profitable 8-calendar year, $23.6 million contract, making her one among the very best-paid women’s coaches at any time. Recognized for her passionate coaching design, flamboyant fashion, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in women's hoops.
four. Brenda Frese – University of Maryland
Believed Yearly Income: $one.4 million
Brenda Frese has quietly designed a design of regularity at Maryland due to the fact taking up in 2002. With multiple meeting championships, a national title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Event appearances, Frese has held the Terrapins in countrywide competition for more than 20 years.
Her long-expression influence and development of prime-tier talent have manufactured her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic department. Her latest deal incorporates bonuses for academic effectiveness, wins, and postseason good results—illustrating her twin dedication to athletics and university student advancement.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Estimated Yearly Income: $one.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not simply one of the very best-paid out coaches but also the winningest coach in NCAA Girls's basketball history. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time acquire history and has led Stanford to three nationwide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Final Four appearances.
Although VanDerveer hasn't been one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured M88 that her legacy and contributions are appropriately compensated. Her leadership, progress of WNBA stars, and determination to excellence have solidified her location One of the all-time greats in coaching heritage.
A Switching Landscape in Ladies's Basketball
The rising salaries of those coaches are reflective with the growing recognition and fiscal viability of ladies’s faculty basketball. Courses are attracting more countrywide Television set deals, ticket sales are growing, and corporate sponsors are getting to be extra invested in Women of all ages's sporting activities.
The increase in coaching salaries is not simply a sign of progress—it’s a recognition from the hard work, Management, and results these coaches convey to their packages along with the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
When these five coaches at present lead the way in terms of earnings, quite a few Some 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 important strides with their respective plans and will split into the top rated five in the approaching several years as Ladies'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 culture of their universities, and elevate women’s basketball to new heights. As being the sport carries on to mature in acceptance and assistance, we could anticipate these salaries—plus the profiles of these leaders—to continue mounting.
Ladies’s faculty basketball isn’t just maintaining speed—it’s location the pace for the future of aggressive sporting activities.