Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma: 2026 Final Four Coaches’ Salaries Ranked
The 2026 women’s Final Four brings familiar faces to the national semifinals. South Carolina, UConn, Texas and UCLA returned as No. 1 seeds and meet in Arizona this weekend.
Filmogaz.com presents a concise look at how the four head coaches’ pay compares. This is a factual breakdown titled 2026 Final Four Coaches’ Salaries Ranked and focuses on Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma among others.
Overview
All four programs reached the Final Four for the second straight year. Each school is a perennial power with deep NCAA Tournament pedigrees.
The coaches involved rank among the highest paid in Division I women’s basketball. Their contracts reflect base pay, media compensation and performance incentives.
Salary Rankings
| Rank | Coach | School | Reported Salary (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dawn Staley | South Carolina | $4.25 million |
| 2 | Geno Auriemma | UConn | $3.54 million |
| 3 | Vic Schaefer | Texas | $2.3 million |
| 4 | Cori Close | UCLA | $877,500 |
Dawn Staley — South Carolina
Staley is in her 18th season at South Carolina. Her record at USC stands at 510-113 this season.
Her total reported compensation is $4.25 million. The contract runs through 2030 and grows by $250,000 each year.
This year’s base salary is $1.95 million. Media and endorsement compensation totals $2.3 million this year.
The deal also includes incentive payouts. Examples include bonuses for SEC wins, conference titles and Final Four appearances.
Staley has taken the Gamecocks to six straight Final Fours and eight overall under her tenure. Her extension followed a third national title.
Geno Auriemma — UConn
Auriemma is in his 41st season at UConn with a career record of 1,288-165. UConn is in its 25th Final Four under his leadership.
His reported total compensation this year is $3.54 million. His base salary is $400,000.
Additional payments for speaking, consulting and media work total $3.14 million this year. That supplemental amount grows by $200,000 each remaining contract year.
Auriemma signed a five-year extension in 2024. The extension was reported at $18.7 million.
Vic Schaefer — Texas
Schaefer is in his sixth season at Texas. His Texas record is 179-39 and his overall head coaching record is 480-211.
His current salary is $2.3 million. That figure holds through the 2026-27 season.
Schaefer agreed to a three-year extension in February 2025 that runs through 2030. His pay will rise by $100,000 per year beginning in 2027-28.
This is his fourth Final Four as a head coach. He previously guided Mississippi State to back-to-back title games in 2017 and 2018.
Cori Close — UCLA
Close is in her 15th season at UCLA with a program record of 356-144. She has coached 33 seasons overall.
Her reported pay is $877,500. That includes a $300,000 base salary plus a $575,000 talent fee.
Incentives pushed her earnings above $1 million this season. Those bonuses came from NCAA tournament play, conference titles and a Final Four appearance.
Close negotiated an extension in May. She also commented this postseason about coach workload, NIL issues and the transfer portal.
What the numbers show
Staley leads the group in total compensation. Auriemma follows as the second-highest paid coach.
Schaefer sits third, with a structured increase coming in future seasons. Close earns the least among the four but has seen this year’s pay rise above seven figures with incentives.
The national semifinals in Arizona will decide which coaches have a chance at the title. These contracts show how programs reward sustained success.
