Kim Mulkey vs Lisa Bluder 2024 Salary Comparison: Which NCAA Coach Is Paid Higher?

Two of the greatest head coaches in women’s basketball history will come face-to-face again to give us a glimpse of last year’s Finals. Only one of them can move ahead in the single-knockout Big Dance. Kim Mulkey and Lisa Bluder have been the cream of the crop when it comes to leading and guiding a group of young athletes to glorious heights. While the former lived up to her hype and expectations by securing the first-ever NCAA title for the Lady Tigers, the latter provided national recognition to Iowa through its first national championship game last year.

Consequently, their skills have fetched them a lot of fame as well as monetary attention. While Mulkey holds an upper hand over Bluder professionally, is the scenario the same financially as well? We’ll have to dig deep to find the answer to that.

What is Kim Mulkey’s monetary worth?

The five-time national championship-winning coach is among the highest-earning coaches in the country at present. After conquering three NCAA Division I titles with Baylor, Mulkey had a landmark homecoming when LSU offered her a lucrative deal after she was tenured for 8 years. Initially, the management agreed on a whopping sum of $23.6 million while appointing her as the head coach of LSU. Certainly, it took a lot for the Tigers to pull Mulkey from Baylor. At that time, she was the highest-paid female college basketball coach and was just behind the Huskies’ boss — Geno Auriemma.

However, that total escalated quickly with the 2023 National Championship. Seemingly, not only did they add two more years to her term, making it a decade-long contract, but she also got a raise of almost $13 million. Therefore, her annual salary currently stands at around $3.26 million. Moreover, this move by LSU shattered all the previous records and made Mulkey the highest-paid coach in women’s basketball history, overshadowing high-profile names like Becky Hammon and Dawn Staley.

While it is a big chunk of mint that LSU spends on Mulkey, her program has also brought in approximately $1 million through ticket revenue. Clearly, she does not only how to strategize a game plan but also how to get more green to the university.

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So how does her on-court rival coach look like through the lens of the mint?

Lisa Bluder’s net worth

In a very contrasting light, Iowa’s super-successful head coach Bluder only gets a portion of what Mulkey makes. Her net worth stands at $3 million. Bluder’s base salary contract with the Hawkeyes suggests a base salary of $1 million per season. She is also promised other guaranteed income which goes to $400,000. Hence, her total comes to $1.4 million for this season. Her latest agreement with the school will keep her in through 2029. Her signed deal also states that her incentives per season will change according to the program’s performance.

Apparently, she will have a 15% increment this season as the Hawkeyes have successfully entered the Elite Eight. Even if their March Madness journey ends at the hands of Kim Mulkey & Co., she will still have this increase. Further, Lisa Bluder will also get compensation for ticket revenue. Her highest total can go to $65,000.

She may not be at the top of the charts when it comes to monetary value, but she has a special bond with the University of Iowa. Hence, she is happy to be with the program and enjoy her time coaching immaculate NPOY contenders like Caitlin Clark.

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While no one would want it, one of them will leave Albany with broken dreams. Before their epic clash, let us see how many the two may have earned in this 2024 March Madness as incentives.

Lisa Bluder vs Kim Mulkey: A head-to-head of post-season incentives

The two teams have led very successful seasons. But when we bring their bonus earnings against each other, looks like the two stand at two different rocks. Here is the breakdown for Mulkey’s incentives vs Lisa Bluder’s-

• SEC Regular Season Champions: $65,000 vs NA
• SEC Tournament Champions: $35,000 vs $25,000
• NCAA Appearance: $28,000 vs $35,000
• Round of 32: $30,000 vs NA
• Sweet 16: $33,000 plus $5000 sponsor-related vs $50,000
• Elite Eight: $38,000 plus $5000 sponsor-related vs $50,000
• Final Four: $50,000 vs $100,000
• NCAA Championship game: $75,000 plus $30,000 sponsor-related vs NA
• National Champions: $150,000 vs $100,000
• AP Poll: 
  • Team rank: between 1-10: $30,000 vs NA
  • Between 11-25: $25,000 vs NA
• SEC Coach of the Year: $10,000 vs $10,000
• National Coach of the Year: $15,000 vs $$25,000

Kim Mulkey can make a ceiling-high of $602,000 in bonuses if her team wins all the above-stated aspects during a season. On the other hand, Lisa Bluder’s maximum incentives add up to a maximum of $225,000. However, there are a lot more clauses that add more value to Bluder’s total, including an annual longevity bonus of an additional $250,000.

A mouth-watering clash awaits the fans on April 1st, 2024. Two of the very best programs in women’s college basketball will lock horns for the second time in two years. While both of them graced the American Airlines Arena in the national championship game last time, this year it will be the Times Union Center which will host this Clash of the Titans.

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