College football coaches are tasked with a 365-day-a-year job, managing every aspect of their program, from recruiting to on-field success and so much more. As such, they’re compensated for their roles in building their institute of higher learning’s biggest money-making sport (for the most part) justly.
The list of the highest-paid college football coaches shows staggering figures and comes from all corners of the country.
List of Highest-Paid College Football Coaches
The list below highlights the highest-paid college football coaches at the FBS level. The figures come from individual contract studies of each head coach in major college football.
While mostly accurate, it should be noted that public schools are required to disclose their figures in some capacity, but private institutes (think Notre Dame) are not. You will likely not see 100% confirmed details of a private institute’s coach unless that contract has been made public.
Note: Below will be each of the head coaches listed. Click the head coach for an expanded view of the contract associated with their respective school.
1) Kirby Smart, Georgia: $13,200,000
2) Ryan Day, Ohio State: $12,500,000
3) Dabo Swinney, Clemson: $11,500,000
4) Deion Sanders, Colorado: $10,800,000
5) Steve Sarkisian, Texas: $10,600,000
6) Kalen DeBoer, Alabama: $10,000,000
6) Mike Norvell, Florida State: $10,000,000
6) Bill Belichick, North Carolina: $10,000,000
6) Dan Lanning, Oregon: $10,000,000
6) Lincoln Riley, USC: $10,000,000
11) Brian Kelly, LSU: $9,500,000
12) Matt Rhule, Nebraska: $9,000,000
12) Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss: $9,000,000
12) Josh Heupel, Tennessee: $9,000,000
15) Mark Stoops, Kentucky: $8,600,000
16) Mario Cristobal, Miami (FL): $8,000,000
17) Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State: $7,625,000
18) Jedd Fisch, Washington: $7,500,000
19) Billy Napier, Florida: $7,400,000
20) Brent Venables, Oklahoma: $7,250,000
21) Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: $7,000,000
21) James Franklin, Penn State: $7,000,000
21) Mike Elko, Texas A&M: $7,000,000
24) Hugh Freeze, Auburn: $6,500,000
25) Shane Beamer, South Carolina: $6,360,000
26) Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri: $6,250,000
26) Greg Schiano, Rutgers: $6,250,000
28) Kyle Whittingham, Utah: $6,200,000
29) Bret Bielema, Illinois: $6,000,000
29) Jonathan Smith, Michigan State: $6,000,000
29) P.J. Fleck, Minnesota: $6,000,000
29) Barry Odom, Purdue: $6,000,000
33) Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh: $5,800,000
34) Chris Klieman, Kansas State: $5,500,000
34) Sherrone Moore, Michigan: $5,500,000
36) Jeff Brohm, Louisville: $5,100,000
37) Sam Pittman, Arkansas: $5,000,000
37) Bill O’Brien, Boston College: $5,000,000
37) Lance Leipold, Kansas: $5,000,000
37) Dave Doeren, NC State: $5,000,000
37) Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame: $5,000,000
37) Sonny Dykes, TCU: $5,000,000
37) Scott Frost, UCF: $5,000,000
37) Luke Fickell, Wisconsin: $5,000,000
45) Justin Wilcox, California: $4,750,000
46) Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State: $4,500,000
47) Tony Elliott, Virginia: $4,240,000
48) Joey McGuire, Texas Tech: $4,100,000
49) Matt Campbell, Iowa State: $4,000,000
49) Jamey Chadwell, Liberty: $4,000,000
49) Mike Locksley, Maryland: $4,000,000
49) Brent Pry, Virginia Tech: $4,000,000
53) Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State: $3,950,000
54) Dave Aranda, Baylor: $3,800,000
55) Manny Diaz, Duke: $3,700,000
56) Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia: $3,500,000
57) Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati: $3,500,000
57) Curt Cignetti, Indiana: $3,500,000
57) Rhett Lashlee, SMU: $3,500,000
57) Fran Brown, Syracuse: $3,500,000
57) Dan Mullen, UNLV: $3,500,000
62) Clark Lea, Vanderbilt: $3,051,881
63) Kalani Sitake, BYU: $3,000,000
63) DeShaun Foster, UCLA: $3,000,000
65) Brent Key, Georgia Tech: $2,800,000
65) Jeff Traylor, UTSA: $2,800,000
67) Alex Golesh, South Florida: $2,500,000
67) Jake Dickert, Wake Forest: $2,500,000
69) Brent Brennan, Arizona: $2,200,000
70) Jeff Monken, Army: $2,100,000
71) Willie Fritz, Houston: $2,000,000
71) Trent Bray, Oregon State: $2,000,000
71) Jon Sumrall, Tulane: $2,000,000
74) Ryan Silverfield, Memphis: $1,915,000
75) Sean Lewis, San Diego State: $1,750,000
76) Troy Calhoun, Air Force: $1,700,000
76) Jay Norvell, Colorado State: $1,700,000
78) Jimmy Rogers, Washington State: $1,570,000
79) Dowell Loggains, Appalachian State: $1,500,000
80) Jim Mora Jr., UConn: $1,500,000
80) Ken Niumatalolo, San Jose State: $1,500,000
82) Trent Dilfer, UAB: $1,300,000
82) Joe Harasymiak, UMass: $1,300,000
84) Phil Longo, Sam Houston: $1,250,000
85) Eric Morris, North Texas: $1,200,000
86) Jason Eck, New Mexico: $1,150,000
87) Bronco Mendenhall, Utah State: $1,150,000
88) Spencer Danielson, Boise State: $1,100,000
88) Matt Entz, Fresno State: $1,100,000
88) Jason Candle, Toledo: $1,100,000
88) Jay Sawvel, Wyoming: $1,100,000
92) Jeff Choate, Nevada: $1,050,000
93) Tim Beck, Coastal Carolina: $1,000,000
93) Zach Kittley, Florida Atlantic: $1,000,000
93) Charles Kelly, Jacksonville State: $1,000,000
93) Tony Gibson, Marshall: $1,000,000
93) Derek Mason, Middle Tennessee: $1,000,000
93) G.J. Kinne, Texas State: $1,000,000
99) Sonny Cumbie, La Tech: $950,000
100) Tim Albin, Charlotte: $900,000
100) Dell McGee, Georgia State: $900,000
100) Gerard Parker, Troy: $900,000
100) Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky: $900,000
104) Brian Smith, Ohio: $850,000
104) Lance Taylor, Western Michigan: $850,000
106) Butch Jones, Arkansas State: $825,000
106) Major Applewhite, South Alabama: $825,000
106) Scotty Walden, UTEP: $825,000
109) Will Hall, Southern Miss: $824,000
110) Clay Helton, Georgia Southern: $800,000
111) Ricky Rhane, Old Dominion: $775,000
112) Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana: $755,000
113) Willie Simmons, FIU: $750,000
114) Timmy Chang, Hawaii: $700,008
115) Thomas Hammock, Northern Illinois: $677,000
116) Matt Drinkall, Central Michigan: $640,000
117) K.C. Keeler, Temple: $625,000
118) Joe Moorhead, Akron: $620,000
119) Mike Uremovich, Ball State: $600,000
119) Brian Newberry, Navy: $600,000
119) Tony Sanchez, New Mexico State: $600,000
119) Eddie George, Bowling Green: $600,000
123) Chris Creighton, Eastern Michigan: $550,000
124) Bob Chesney, James Madison: $550,000
124) Chuck Martin, Miami (OH): $550,000
126) Ryan Carty, Delaware: $536,000
127) Pete Lembo, Buffalo: $500,000
127) Blake Harrell, East Carolina: $500,000
127) Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State: $500,000
130) Ryan Beard, Missouri State: $450,000
131) Bryant Vincent, UL-Monroe: $350,000
134) Tre Lamb, Tulsa: $225,000
n/a) Stanford: tbd
n/a) Kent State: tbd
n/a) David Braun, Northwestern: undisclosed
n/a) Scott Abell, Rice: undisclosed
Highest-Paid ACC College Football Coaches
1) Dabo Swinney, Clemson: $11,500,000
2) Mike Norvell, Florida State: $10,000,000
3) Bill Belichick, North Carolina: $10,000,000
4) Mario Cristobal, Miami (FL): $8,000,000
5) Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh: $5,800,000
6) Jeff Brohm, Louisville: $5,100,000
7) Bill O’Brien, Boston College: $5,000,000
8) Dave Doeren, NC State: $5,000,000
9) Justin Wilcox, California: $4,750,000
10) Tony Elliott, Virginia: $4,240,000
11) Brent Pry, Virginia Tech: $4,000,000
12) Manny Diaz, Duke: $3,700,000
13) Rhett Lashlee, SMU: $3,500,000
14) Fran Brown, Syracuse: $3,500,000
15) Brent Key, Georgia Tech: $2,800,000
16) Jake Dickert, Wake Forest: $2,500,000
17) Stanford: tbd
Highest-Paid Big Ten College Football Coaches
1) Ryan Day, Ohio State: $12,500,000
2) Dan Lanning, Oregon: $7,000,000
2) Lincoln Riley, USC: $10,000,000
4) Matt Rhule, Nebraska: $9,000,000
5) Jedd Fisch, Washington: $7,500,000
6) Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: $7,000,000
7) James Franklin, Penn State: $7,000,000
8) Greg Schiano, Rutgers: $6,250,000
9) Bret Bielema, Illinois: $6,000,000
10) Jonathan Smith, Michigan State: $6,000,000
11) P.J. Fleck, Minnesota: $6,000,000
12) Barry Odom, Purdue: $6,000,000
13) Sherrone Moore, Michigan: $5,500,000
14) Luke Fickell, Wisconsin: $5,000,000
15) Mike Locksley, Maryland: $4,000,000
16) Curt Cignetti, Indiana: $3,500,000
17) DeShaun Foster, UCLA: $3,000,000
n/a) David Braun, Northwestern: undisclosed
Highest-Paid Big 12 College Football Coaches
1) Deion Sanders, Colorado: $10,800,000
2) Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State: $7,625,000
3) Kyle Whittingham, Utah: $6,200,000
4) Chris Klieman, Kansas State: $5,500,000
5) Lance Leipold, Kansas: $5,000,000
6) Sonny Dykes, TCU: $5,000,000
7) Scott Frost, UCF: $5,000,000
8) Joey McGuire, Texas Tech: $4,100,000
9) Matt Campbell, Iowa State: $4,000,000
10) Neal Brown, West Virginia: $4,000,000
11) Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State: $3,950,000
12) Dave Aranda, Baylor: $3,800,000
13) Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati: $3,500,000
14) Kalani Sitake, BYU: $3,000,000
15) Brent Brennan, Arizona: $2,200,000
16) Willie Fritz, Houston: $2,000,000
Highest-Paid Pac-12 College Football Coaches
1) Trent Bray, Oregon State: $2,000,000
2) Jimmy Rogers, Washington State: $1,570,000
Highest-Paid SEC College Football Coaches
1) Kirby Smart, Georgia: $13,200,000
2) Steve Sarkisian, Texas: $10,600,000
3) Kalen DeBoer, Alabama: $10,000,000
4) Brian Kelly, LSU: $9,500,000
5) Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss: $9,000,000
6) Josh Heupel, Tennessee: $9,000,000
7) Mark Stoops, Kentucky: $8,600,000
8) Billy Napier, Florida: $7,400,000
9) Brent Venables, Oklahoma: $7,250,000
10) Mike Elko, Texas A&M: $7,000,000
11) Hugh Freeze, Auburn: $6,500,000
12) Shane Beamer, South Carolina: $6,360,000
13) Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri: $6,250,000
14) Sam Pittman, Arkansas: $5,000,000
15) Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State: $4,500,000
16) Clark Lea, Vanderbilt: $3,051,881
Highest-Paid American Athletic Conference College Football Coaches
1) Jeff Traylor, UTSA: $2,800,000
2) Alex Golesh, South Florida: $2,500,000
3) Jeff Monken, Army: $2,100,000
4) Jon Sumrall, Tulane: $2,000,000
5) Ryan Silverfield, Memphis: $1,915,000
6) Trent Dilfer, UAB: $1,300,000
7) Eric Morris, North Texas: $1,200,000
8) Zach Kittley, Florida Atlantic: $1,000,000
9) Tim Albin, Charlotte: $900,000
10) K.C. Keeler, Temple: $625,000
11) Brian Newberry, Navy: $600,000
12) Blake Harrell, East Carolina: $500,000
13) Tre Lamb, Tulsa: $225,000
n/a) Scott Abell, Rice: undisclosed
Highest-Paid Conference USA College Football Coaches
1) Jamey Chadwell, Liberty: $4,000,000
2) Phil Longo, Sam Houston: $1,250,000
3) Charles Kelly, Jacksonville State: $1,000,000
4) Derek Mason, Middle Tennessee: $1,000,000
5) Sonny Cumbie, La Tech: $950,000
6) Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky: $900,000
7) Scotty Walden, UTEP: $825,000
8) Willie Simmons, FIU: $750,000
9) Tony Sanchez, New Mexico State: $600,000
10) Ryan Carty, Delaware: $536,000
11) Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State: $500,000
12) Ryan Beard, Missouri State: $450,000
Highest-Paid MAC College Football Coaches
1) Jason Candle, Toledo: $1,100,000
2) Brian Smith, Ohio: $850,000
3) Lance Taylor, Western Michigan: $850,000
4) Thomas Hammock, Northern Illinois: $677,000
5) Matt Drinkall, Central Michigan: $640,000
6) Joe Moorhead, Akron: $620,000
7) Mike Uremovich, Ball State: $600,000
8) Eddie George, Bowling Green: $600,000
9) Chris Creighton, Eastern Michigan: $550,000
10) Chuck Martin, Miami (OH): $550,000
11) Kenni Burns, Kent State: $525,000
12) Pete Lembo, Buffalo: $500,000
Highest-Paid Mountain West College Football Coaches
1) Dan Mullen, UNLV: $3,500,000
2) Sean Lewis, San Diego State: $1,750,000
3) Troy Calhoun, Air Force: $1,700,000
4) Jay Norvell, Colorado State: $1,700,000
5) Ken Niumatalolo, San Jose State: $1,500,000
6) Jason Eck, New Mexico: $1,150,000
7) Bronco Mendenhall, Utah State: $1,150,000
8) Spencer Danielson, Boise State: $1,100,000
9) Matt Entz, Fresno State: $1,100,000
10) Jay Sawvel, Wyoming: $1,100,000
11) Jeff Choate, Nevada: $1,050,000
12) Timmy Chang, Hawaii: $700,008
Highest-Paid Sun Belt College Football Coaches
1) Dowell Loggains, Appalachian State: $1,500,000
2) Tim Beck, Coastal Carolina: $1,000,000
3) Tony Gibson, Marshall: $1,000,000
4) G.J. Kinne, Texas State: $1,000,000
5) Dell McGee, Georgia State: $900,000
6) Gerard Parker, Troy: $900,000
7) Butch Jones, Arkansas State: $825,000
8) Major Applewhite, South Alabama: $825,000
9) Will Hall, Southern Miss: $824,000
10) Clay Helton, Georgia Southern: $800,000
11) Ricky Rhane, Old Dominion: $775,000
12) Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana: $755,000
13) Bob Chesney, James Madison: $550,000
14) Bryant Vincent, UL-Monroe: $350,000
Highest-Paid Independent College Football Coaches
1) Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame: $5,000,000
2) Jim Mora Jr., UConn: $1,500,000
3) Joe Harasymiak, UMass: $1,300,000
Highest-Paid College Football Coaches In Each State
Listed below are the top-paid college football coaches in each state with multiple major college football programs inside its state borders. States like Connecticut, where only UConn represents the state at the FBS level, will not be listed.
Alabama
1) Kalen DeBoer, Alabama: $10,000,000
2) Hugh Freeze, Auburn: $6,500,000
3) Trent Dilfer, UAB: $1,300,000
4) Charles Kelly, Jacksonville State: $1,000,000
5) Gerard Parker, Troy: $900,000
7) Major Applewhite, South Alabama: $825,000
Arizona
1) Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State: $3,950,000
2) Brent Brennan, Arizona: $2,200,000
Arkansas
1) Sam Pittman, Arkansas: $5,000,000
2) Butch Jones, Arkansas State: $825,000
California
1) Lincoln Riley, USC: $10,000,000
2) Justin Wilcox, California: $4,750,000
3) DeShaun Foster, UCLA: $3,000,000
4) Sean Lewis, San Diego State: $1,750,000
5) Ken Niumatalolo, San Jose State: $1,500,000
6) Matt Entz, Fresno State: $1,100,000
7) Stanford, tbd
Colorado
1) Deion Sanders, Colorado: $10,800,000
2) Troy Calhoun, Air Force: $1,700,000
3) Jay Norvell, Colorado State: $1,700,000
Florida
1) Mike Norvell, Florida State: $10,000,000
2) Mario Cristobal, Miami (FL): $8,000,000
3) Billy Napier, Florida: $7,400,000
4) Scott Frost, UCF: $5,000,000
5) Alex Golesh, South Florida: $2,500,000
6) Zach Kittley, Florida Atlantic: $1,000,000
7) Willie Simmons, FIU: $750,000
Georgia
1) Kirby Smart, Georgia: $13,200,000
2) Brent Key, Georgia Tech: $2,800,000
3) Dell McGee, Georgia State: $900,000
4) Clay Helton, Georgia Southern: $800,000
5) Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State: $500,000
Illinois
1) Bret Bielema, Illinois: $6,000,000
2) Thomas Hammock, Northern Illinois: $677,000
3) David Braun, Northwestern: undisclosed
Indiana
1) Barry Odom, Purdue: $6,000,000
2) Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame: $5,000,000
3) Curt Cignetti, Indiana: $3,500,000
4) Mike Uremovich, Ball State: $600,000
Iowa
1) Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: $7,000,000
2) Matt Campbell, Iowa State: $4,000,000
Kansas
1) Chris Klieman, Kansas State: $5,500,000
2) Lance Leipold, Kansas: $5,000,000
Kentucky
1) Mark Stoops, Kentucky: $8,600,000
2) Jeff Brohm, Louisville: $5,100,000
3) Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky: $900,000
Louisiana
1) Brian Kelly, LSU: $9,500,000
2) Jon Sumrall, Tulane: $2,000,000
3) Sonny Cumbie, La Tech: $950,000
4) Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana: $755,000
5) Bryant Vincent, UL-Monroe: $350,000
Maryland
1) Mike Locksley, Maryland: $4,000,000
2) Brian Newberry, Navy: $600,000
Massachusetts
1) Bill O’Brien, Boston College: $5,000,000
2) Joe Harasymiak, UMass: $1,300,000
Michigan
1) Jonathan Smith, Michigan State: $6,000,000
2) Sherrone Moore, Michigan: $5,500,000
3) Lance Taylor, Western Michigan: $850,000
4) Matt Drinkall, Central Michigan: $640,000
5) Chris Creighton, Eastern Michigan: $550,000
Mississippi
1) Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss: $9,000,000
2) Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State: $4,500,000
3) Will Hall, Southern Miss: $824,000
Nevada
1) Dan Mullen, UNLV: $3,500,000
2) Jeff Choate, Nevada: $1,050,000
New Mexico
1) Jason Eck, New Mexico: $1,150,000
2) Tony Sanchez, New Mexico State: $600,000
New York
1) Fran Brown, Syracuse: $3,500,000
2) Jeff Monken, Army: $2,100,000
3) Pete Lembo, Buffalo: $500,000
North Carolina
1) Bill Belichick, North Carolina: $10,000,000
2) Dave Doeren, NC State: $5,000,000
3) Manny Diaz, Duke: $3,700,000
4) Jake Dickert, Wake Forest: $2,500,000
5) Dowell Loggains, Appalachian State: $1,500,000
6) Tim Albin, Charlotte: $900,000
7) Blake Harrell, East Carolina: $500,000
Ohio
1) Ryan Day, Ohio State: $12,500,000
2) Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati: $3,500,000
3) Jason Candle, Toledo: $1,100,000
4) Brian Smith, Ohio: $850,000
5) Joe Moorhead, Akron: $620,000
6) Eddie George, Bowling Green: $600,000
7) Chuck Martin, Miami (OH): $550,000
8) Kent State, tbd
Oklahoma
1) Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State: $7,625,000
2) Brent Venables, Oklahoma: $7,250,000
3) Tre Lamb, Tulsa: $225,000
Oregon
1) Dan Lanning, Oregon: $7,000,000
2) Trent Bray, Oregon State: $2,000,000
Pennsylvania
1) James Franklin, Penn State: $7,000,000
2) Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh: $5,800,000
3) K.C. Keeler, Temple: $625,000
South Carolina
1) Dabo Swinney, Clemson: $11,500,000
2) Shane Beamer, South Carolina: $6,360,000
3) Tim Beck, Coastal Carolina: $1,000,000
Tennessee
1) Josh Heupel, Tennessee: $9,000,000
2) Clark Lea, Vanderbilt: $3,051,881
3) Ryan Silverfield, Memphis: $1,915,000
4) Derek Mason, Middle Tennessee: $1,000,000
Texas
1) Steve Sarkisian, Texas: $10,600,000
2) Mike Elko, Texas A&M: $7,000,000
3) Sonny Dykes, TCU: $5,000,000
4) Joey McGuire, Texas Tech: $4,100,000
5) Dave Aranda, Baylor: $3,800,000
6) Rhett Lashlee, SMU: $3,500,000
7) Jeff Traylor, UTSA: $2,800,000
8) Willie Fritz, Houston: $2,000,000
9) Phil Longo, Sam Houston: $1,250,000
10) Eric Morris, North Texas: $1,200,000
11) G.J. Kinne, Texas State: $1,000,000
12) Scotty Walden, UTEP: $825,000
13) Scott Abell, Rice: undisclosed
Utah
1) Kyle Whittingham, Utah: $6,200,000
2) Kalani Sitake, BYU: $3,000,000
3) Bronco Mendenhall, Utah State: $1,150,000
Virginia
1) Tony Elliott, Virginia: $4,240,000
2) Jamey Chadwell, Liberty: $4,000,000
3) Brent Pry, Virginia Tech: $4,000,000
4) Ricky Rhane, Old Dominion: $775,000
5) Bob Chesney, James Madison: $550,000
Washington
1) Jedd Fisch, Washington: $7,500,000
2) Jimmy Rogers, Washington State: $1,570,000
West Virginia
1) Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia: $3,500,000
2) Tony Gibson, Marshall: $1,000,000
