It’s a great time to be a coach in the NIL era of college football. Nine coaches will earn at least $10 million in the 2025 season, with schools investing their resources to hire the top football minds in the country. Let’s look at the coaches who have the highest salaries and net worth this year.
Top 5 Highest-Paid College Football Coaches in 2025
1. Kirby Smart (Georgia Bulldogs)
The Georgia Bulldogs are fortunate to have Kirby Smart as their head coach. They have amassed an impressive 94-16 record in his nine-year reign, including back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022.
Georgia rewarded Smart for his accomplishments, making him the highest-paid college football coach at a public school in the country. He will earn $13 million each season as part of his contract extension until 2033.
2. Ryan Day (Ohio State Buckeyes)
Ohio State rewarded Ryan Day with a lucrative contract extension after he led the Buckeyes to victory in the College Football Playoff national championship game against Notre Dame in January. Day’s annual total compensation will be raised to $12.5 million for each season as part of his new deal that will last until 2031.
Ryan Day has signed a seven-year contract extension with Ohio State..
The contract will pay him $12.5M a year #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/k8cczM55kk
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 6, 2025
3. Dabo Swinney (Clemson Tigers)
Dabo Swinney is ranked third on the list, earning $11.5 million annually in his current deal. He signed a 10-year, $115 million contract with Clemson in 2022, his reward for the Tigers’ national championships in 2016 and 2018.
4. Dan Lanning (Oregon Ducks)
Oregon made sure Dan Lanning stays in Eugene for the foreseeable future, signing the Ducks’ head coach to a six-year extension that will pay him $11 million annually. Oregon rewarded Lanning with a massive pay increase after he amassed a 35-6 record in his first three seasons with the Ducks.
Lanning led Oregon to a 13-0 start last season, including a win over Penn State in the Big Ten Football Championship. The Ducks earned the top seed in the College Football Playoff but lost to Ohio State in the national semifinals.
T-5. Deion Sanders (Colorado Buffaloes)
Colorado made Deion Sanders one of the highest-paid coaches in the country after he signed a new contract with the Buffaloes in March. Sanders’ new deal will pay him $10.8 million annually, making the 57-year-old the highest-paid football coach in the Big 12 Conference.
Sanders grabbed the headlines when he announced his recent battle with bladder cancer. He assured Colorado fans that he is fit to lead the Buffaloes this coming football season.
T-5. Steve Sarkisian (Texas Longhorns)
Steve Sarkisian is tied with Deion Sanders on the list after he signed a one-year extension with the Texas Longhorns. The new deal will extend his tenure at Texas through 2031, with Sarkisian set to earn $10.8 million this year.
He received a pay increase after he led the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff semifinals in 2023 and 2024.
Top 5 College Football Coaches With Highest Net Worth
1. Bill Belichick ($70 million)
When it comes to net worth, Bill Belichick reigns supreme among college football coaches. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Belichick has amassed $70 million during his football career. He won eight Super Bowl titles during his time with the New York Giants and the New England Patriots before signing a five-year contract with the North Carolina Tar Heels earlier this year.
2. Kirby Smart ($50 million)
Kirby Smart has the second-highest net worth among college football coaches, amassing $50 million in his career. He recently signed a 10-year, $130 million contract with the Georgia Bulldogs.
3. Brian Kelly ($35 million)
Brian Kelly is ranked third on the list with a net worth of $35 million. He signed a 10-year, $95 million deal with the LSU Tigers in 2021 to be their head coach. Kelly previously coached the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
T-4. Dabo Swinney ($30 million)
Dabo Swinney has the fourth-highest net worth among football coaches in the NCAA, amassing $30 million in his career. His wealth rose during his time with the Clemson Tigers, a school he started coaching in 2008.
T-4. Lincoln Riley ($30 million)
Lincoln Riley is tied with Dabo Swinney on the list, accumulating $30 million in his football career. He rose to prominence during his time with the Oklahoma Sooners before joining USC in 2021 to be the Trojans’ head coach.
KEEP READING: College Football’s 2025 NIL Names: Top QBs, WRs, and Defenders Who Are Banking Millions Before Week 1
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