Where Dawn Staley’s salary ranks among 2024 women’s Final Four coaches

There is not just history on the line for South Carolina this week at the Final Four in Cleveland, but the chance to move into rarefied air.

With two more victories — first over 3-seed N.C. State on Friday, then over the winner of Iowa-UConn in the finals — the Gamecocks (36-0) would become just the 10th undefeated national champion in women’s college basketball history.

And coach Dawn Staley would become just one of 11 coaches all time — in men’s and women’s basketball — to have their name on three national title trophies.

How do Staley’s salary and contract compare with the other three coaches joining her at the Final Four? Here’s a look:

WES MOORE, NC STATE

(11th season leading the Wolfpack // 273-87 record)

Moore has been at this for a while. He’s been a head coach for 35 seasons now, starting off at Division III Maryville in the mid-1980s before working his way up. Next to Division II Francis Marion, then to Division I Chattanooga and finally N.C. State in 2013.

Leading the Wolfpack, Moore has brought them to the NCAA Tournament every year since 2016, but guided them to the program’s second Final Four this season after upsetting 1-seed Texas in the Elite Eight.

According to USA Today, Moore has already made over $1 million this season and earned a $150,000 raise for next year after advancing to the Final Four. If the Wolfpack wins the whole thing, not only will Moore receive a $100,000 bonus, his salary for next year will jump by $300,000.

LISA BLUDER, IOWA

(24th season at Iowa // 527-253 record)

Bluder has been at Iowa since the turn of the century, but only recently has she gotten the Hawkeyes rolling. Consider this: She’s guided Iowa to the NCAA Tournament 18 times, but the Hawkeyes have only advanced to the Sweet 16 five times — and all have come in the past decade.

The dominance of guard Caitlin Clark has helped Iowa to back-to-back Final Four appearances, which included a victory over over South Carolina in the 2023 national semifinal.

After that run last season, Bluder inked a large extension that takes her contract through the 2028-29 season and bumps her pay to $1.4 million annually. Right now, she’s the eighth highest-paid coach in women’s college basketball.

And Bluder, according to USA Today, earned a $150,000 pay raise next season for simply making the Elite Eight.

GENO AURIEMMA, UConn

(39th season, all at UConn // 1,213-161 record)

The legendary coach is looking to extend his record number of national championships to an even dozen this week after guiding the 3-seed Huskies to an Elite Eight win over 1-seed Southern California.

After missing the Final Four in 2023 — the first non-COVID year the Huskies were absent since 2007 — Auriemma has the team back in the mix looking for their first national championship since 2016. By UConn standards, that’s a 100-year drought.

For his efforts, the longtime Huskies coach makes the second-most money in women’s college basketball — behind only LSU’s Kim Mulkey ($3.26 million annually). Auriemma earns $3.1 million a year and can earn an extra $100,000 if the Huskies win the national title.

DAWN STALEY, South Carolina

(16th season in Columbia, 438-106 record)

On Tuesday, days before South Carolina will play in the program’s sixth Final Four, Staley admitted she’s “shocked” the Gamecocks have made it to the season’s final week. She might be the only one.

Since Staley arrived in Columbia 16 years ago, all she’s done is win — transforming South Carolina into arguably the preeminent program in college basketball. The Gamecocks already have a pair of national titles under Staley (2017 and 2022), but a third would really cement their place.

Staley is currently in the third year of a seven-year, $22.4-million contract she inked in 2021. The contract increases by $100,000 each year. This season, Staley made $3.1 million — the same as Auriemma.

Staley has also cashed in on her bonuses this season. So far, she’s hit every performance incentive in her contract, including recently snagging an extra $25,000 after being named the Naismith Coach of the Year.

If the Gamecocks win the national title, Staley’s 2024 bonuses will increase to $680,000 — the most amount possible — lifting her overall earnings to near $3.8 million.