Junior college basketball coaches lead teams from schools offering two-year postsecondary programs; an associate degree is usually the highest attainable certification from these institutions. Junior college athletics are governed by the National Junior College Athletic Association, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. There are 443 junior colleges in the U.S. with men's basketball programs, and 405 with women's basketball programs, as of August 2011. Coaches in junior college basketball earn approximately $30,000, according to U.S. government data.
Salary
According to data reported in 2010 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean wage for coaches in the category of "Other Schools and Places of Instruction" was $29,330. This figure equals out to an average hourly pay rate of $14.10 prior to the deduction of taxes and benefits. According to rates posted in 2011 by the National Junior College Athletic Association, assistant basketball coaches earn between $12,000 and $15,000 annually, or between $5.76 and $7.21 per hour before deductions.
Factors Affecting Salary
The major factors that affect the salary rate of junior college basketball coaches include size and location of the institution the team represents and the type of success achieved by a coach in past positions. Other factors affecting salary may include the existence of any university-run camps the school holds, as well as bonuses for tournament wins, conference championships and any existing academic or player-conduct goals to which a coach is contractually obliged.
Salary by State
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the District of Columbia reported the highest annual mean wage for coaches, with an average salary of $53,480, or $25.71 per hour, across a 40-hour workweek before deductions. Low-paying states for this employment category included Kansas, Idaho and Hawaii, each of which pays less than $29,070 annually, according to bureau statistics. The New York City-White Plains-Wayne, New York, metropolitan area reported the highest annual mean wage for this job sector in the nation, with an hourly wage of $22.00 per hour before deductions, or $45,760 annually.
Relevant Background and Skills
Junior college basketball coaching requires extensive previous experience as either a player or coach in a competitive level of play, be it scholastic, semiprofessional or collegiate. In-depth knowledge of pregame training, practice rituals, offensive tactics, in-game strategy, rule variances and defensive technique is considered standard. Leadership qualities, including the ability to achieve consistently high results from a diverse group of personalities, is also highly desired. Strong interpersonal skills are highly recommended.
