In the NIL era of college sports when student athletes are paid for their play, the highest-paid role in most college athletics programs remains the head football coach… for now.
In fact, in many states, the head coaches of prominent football programs at public universities are the highest-paid state employees. One of the most scrutinized roles in sports, these coaches are expected to win every week and face the music anytime their team loses.
Here are the highest-paid coaches in college football, listed based on average annual salary.
All data from (usatoday.com)
1. Kirby Smart, Georgia ($13,282,580)
Smart agreed to a 10-year contract worth upwards of $130 million in May of 2024, completely altering the market for college coaches. He continues to make over $2 million more than any other coach, but expect this to change soon with the ever-increasing amount of money in college football.
2. Ryan Day, Ohio State ($12,500,000)
Day worked his way up the ranks at Ohio State, first being named the school’s head coach in 2019 and receiving pay raises each season until 2023. He made it all worth it in 2024, leading the Buckeyes to the national championship and receiving another significant raise shortly afterwards.
3. Dabo Swinney, Clemson ($11,132,775)
Like Smart, Swinney also signed a nine-figure, 10-year extension. Despite his criticism of NIL and the transfer portal, expect the long-time Clemson coach to stay with the Tigers for the foreseeable future.
4. Dan Lanning, Oregon ($10,900,000)
Despite already being among the top 15 most compensated college coaches, Oregon’s athletic department didn’t hesitate to give Lanning a raise to keep him in Eugene following the 2024 season. His new deal raised his average annual salary by $2 million.
5. Deion Sanders, Colorado ($10,800,000)
Sanders revolutionized Colorado’s football program, bringing significant national attention to Boulder. Coach Prime has been a successful recruiter, but it remains to be seen how powerful of a program he can develop.
6. Steve Sarkisian, Texas ($10,600,000)
Sarkisian was given a large pay raise prior to the 2024 season, rewarding him for his success in the previous three seasons. His contract also provides him with two cars and allows him limited use of a private plane, as well as other benefits. Being the head football coach at Texas definitely has its benefits.
7. Lincoln Riley, USC ($10,043,418)
Riley has been among the highest paid coaches in college sports since his time as the head coach of Oklahoma. He received a pay raise of an additional $2.5 million annually to join USC, showing the school’s confidence he will be able to bring the same level of success to Southern California.
T-8. Mike Norvell, Florida State ($10,000,000)
Norvell made headlines in December of 2024 by restructuring his contract to give up $4.5 million to help launch a fundraising campaign for Florida State’s NIL program. Norvell will have the chance to earn the money back with incentives throughout the remainder of his contract, but he may end up as the first of many coaches to make a similar move.
T-8. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama ($10,000,000)
Alabama rewarded DeBoer’s success at Washington, making the high-profile move to name him Nick Saban’s successor. He agreed to a huge contract prior to the 2024 season.
T-8. Bill Belichick, North Carolina ($10,000,000)
In another high-profile move, legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick was named the head coach at North Carolina in December of 2024. A shocking move to some, a lot remains to be seen as questions arise regarding Belichick’s ability as a recruiter and whether his style of coaching will translate well to the college game.
11. Brian Kelly, LSU ($9,975,000)
Kelly made the jump from Notre Dame to LSU in 2022, signing a 10-year deal worth just short of $100 million.
12. Mark Stoops, Kentucky ($9,013,600)
Kentucky showed how serious it is about competing in the SEC in football, awarding Stoops a new contract and pay raise before the 2023 season to make him one of the wealthiest coaches in sports.
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