Kim Mulkey is set to become the highest-paid women’s college basketball coach in 2024. As reported by USA Today, Mulkey’s earnings totaled $3,264,000 after she signed a contract extension last year. Following her success in leading the Tigers to a championship in 2023, Coach Mulkey secured a $36 million extension for 10 years.

Kim Mulkey’s compensation package includes a base salary of $400,000, supplemented by $2.75 million in school pay. Additionally, USA Today lists $114,000 in ‘Other Pay.’ Her maximum bonus potential is $750,000, and for the 2022–23 season, she received $443,000 in earnings.

Notably, Mulkey has an impressive coaching record, having secured four championships—three at Baylor and one at LSU.

Highest-paid women’s basketball coaches

(Kim Mulkey, Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma)

Following Kim Mulkey are Dawn Staley of South Carolina and Geno Auriemma of UConn, both earning $3.1 million. Auriemma boasts 11 national championships, while Staley made history as the first Black Coach in Division I to secure three titles. There’s no mention of additional income for either coach.

Vic Schaefer of the Texas Longhorns takes the fourth spot with $2.3 million. Schaefer, a Texas A&M alum, has been with the team since 2020, earning three-time SEC Coach of the Year honors and guiding Texas to the Elite Eight three times. Previously, he led Mississippi State to two consecutive NCAA Championship appearances in 2017 and 2018.

Brenda Frese of the Maryland Terrapins ranks fifth, earning $1.88 million. Since 2002, Frese has steered the Terrapins to a title in 2006, along with two Final Four and four Elite Eight appearances. Following Frese is Jeff Walz of the Louisville Cardinals, earning $1.75 million.

Joni Taylor of Texas A&M holds the seventh spot with $1.5 million, followed by Lisa Bluder of the Iowa Hawkeyes, who earns $1.4 million. In her 24th season at Iowa, Bluder has consistently led the team to NCAA appearances and secured their first Elite Eight appearance since 1993 in 2019.

The Hawkeyes reached the title game in 2023 and 2024 under Bluder’s leadership, with Caitlin Clark at the helm.

Teri Moren of Indiana takes the ninth spot with $1.25 million, while Adia Barnes of Arizona rounds up the top 10 with earnings of $1.2 million.

The pay gap between women’s and men’s basketball coaches is striking. The highest-paid coach in men’s college basketball, Kansas’ Bill Self, earns $9.6 million. This disparity is often attributed to differences in popularity and audience interest.