Dawn Staley's 2025 Salary vs Geno Auriemma: Who Makes More?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Steph Dwilson | Last updated Apr 6, 2025 2:15 PM ET

Dawn Staley, head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, will be facing off against Geno Auriemma, head coach of the University of Connecticut Huskies, in the NCAA title game. And while both coaches have impressive stats and are paid well for their talent, Staley comes out ahead in her salary total for 2025.

In June, UConn gave Auriemma a five-year contract extension through 2029, AP News reported. Auriemma has a base salary of $400,000 a year, plus he was given additional compensation for 2024-2025 of $2.94 million for speaking, consulting and media obligations. This will increase by $200,000 every year. The extension was given as Auiremma entered his 40th season at UConn.

In total, this means Auriemma has a $3.34 million contract this year.

Staley's salary is higher.

In January, she signed a contract extension amounting to $4 million annually, CT Insider reported. Not only does this mean she has a higher salary than Auriemma, but it made her the highest paid coach in women's basketball history, CT Insider shared.

Her extension runs through 2029-2030 and includes a $250,000 increase each year.

Before the contract extensions, Auriemma and Staley were tied last season with a $3.1 million salary each.

Auriemma's contract is valued at $18.7 million over five years, and Staley's is valued at $25.25 million over five years.

Staley said in a statement after signing her contract extension: "I’m proud to represent the University of South Carolina and of its investment in women’s basketball. What we’ve been able to accomplish on the court is a testament to what can happen when you bring together the right people from a team perspective but also have the right commitment from the University, the Athletics Department and the community to providing that team with everything it needs to be successful."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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