This study examines the demographics of public and private NCAA Division I women's basketball coaches as well as salary data for public Division I institutions obtained from the NCAA. Its aims are two-fold: first, to compare racial and gender demographics among head and assistant coaches to those of student-athletes; and second, to analyze salary disparities between coaches of different genders, conferences, and positions. This study finds that women of color are underrepresented in head coaching positions, which pay a median of 1.8 times as much as assistant coach jobs, in which women of color are much more likely to be employed. Head coach salary disparities by gender are larger in schools with lower revenues and are partly explained by the fact that women coach in schools with higher median revenues.

Thank you to Professor Jodi Upton, her students, USA Today, and Professor Meg Craig.

Links to Project Materials:

College of Arts & Sciences 2020, Newhouse School of Public Communications 2020, Social Science Projects 2020, 2020