Ladies’s school basketball has witnessed exponential advancement in viewership, expertise, and competitiveness in the last ten years. Together with the amplified popularity and commercial success from the sport, especially in NCAA Division I programs, coaching salaries have risen to replicate the worth and leadership these best-tier coaches carry to their groups and universities. As universities go on to speculate within their Females’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 Annual Income: $3.one million
Dawn Staley continues to generally be the gold common in Ladies’s college or university basketball coaching. A former WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has built South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Because taking up This system in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to a number of NCAA Last 4 appearances and two countrywide 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 Gals's university basketball heritage. That deal has given that been restructured and prolonged with functionality incentives, positioning her firmly at the top of this listing.
two. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Estimated Yearly 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 reworked This system into Just about the most dominant dynasties in faculty basketball record—Males's or Girls’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and dependable overall performance have ensured worthwhile agreement renewals. His latest deal features a foundation wage, media obligations, attire specials, and significant bonuses tied to NCAA Event operates. When UConn has confronted new worries with accidents and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management retain his price significant.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Condition University (LSU)
Estimated Annual Income: $two.7 million
Soon after a successful two-decade run at Baylor, where by she won three countrywide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball environment by signing up for LSU in 2021. In only her second period Together with the Tigers, she led them into a 2023 nationwide championship, bringing a fresh level of pleasure and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her higher-profile arrival arrived which has a beneficial 8-year, $23.six million contract, making her one of the best-paid women’s coaches at any time. Known for her passionate coaching style, flamboyant vogue, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Gals's hoops.
4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Estimated Once-a-year Salary: $one.4 million
Brenda Frese has quietly crafted a design of regularity at Maryland considering that taking over in 2002. With numerous meeting championships, a nationwide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Event appearances, Frese has held the Terrapins in M88 countrywide competition for more than two decades.
Her very long-phrase impression and advancement of top-tier talent have built her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Division. Her present-day deal involves bonuses for academic effectiveness, wins, and postseason achievement—illustrating her dual determination to athletics and pupil progress.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
Estimated Yearly Income: $one.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not just considered one of the best-paid coaches but in addition the winningest mentor in NCAA Women of all ages's basketball background. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time acquire history and it has led Stanford to three national titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Closing 4 appearances.
Though VanDerveer has never been a single to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are properly compensated. Her Management, enhancement of WNBA stars, and commitment to excellence have solidified her location One of the all-time greats in coaching historical past.
A Transforming Landscape in Women of all ages's Basketball
The growing salaries of these coaches are reflective from the developing acceptance and money viability of girls’s college or university basketball. Courses are attracting more countrywide Television set promotions, ticket gross sales are expanding, and company sponsors have gotten a lot more invested in Females's sports activities.
The rise in coaching salaries is not merely an indication of progress—it’s a recognition of the effort, Management, and accomplishment these coaches bring for their packages as well as the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
Even though these five coaches currently guide the best way with regards 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 into your best 5 in the coming decades as Girls's basketball continues to improve.
Last Feelings
The days of underfunded Gals’s applications and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches don't just command substantial salaries—they also mentor generations of athletes, form the society of their universities, and elevate Girls’s basketball to new heights. As the sport proceeds to develop in level of popularity and guidance, we can assume these salaries—and the profiles of those leaders—to carry on soaring.
Ladies’s faculty basketball isn’t just keeping tempo—it’s placing the speed for the way forward for aggressive sports.