The money in college football grows every year, leading to some head coaches earning huge sums. Sometimes, college football head coaches earn more than head coaches in the NFL.
This shouldn’t be surprising. They are contending with performance on the field and now have year-round recruiting, NIL, and an unyielding transfer portal to navigate.
Some head coaches earn several million per season for this reason. Find out who the highest-paid head coaches in college football are in this comprehensive list.
Highest-Paid College Football Head Coaches
The highest-paid head coach in college football will have a different name at the top in 2024, following the retirement of long-time Alabama HC Nick Saban. Unsurprisingly, the names at the top are from some of the biggest programs in the country and head coaches who have had recent success.
Understanding the complexities of a college football head coach’s contract can be difficult. To start with, only public schools are mandated to declare employee salaries. Private schools are not bound by those rules, and therefore, contract details are hard to come by at some of the institutions at the college level.
To calculate this list, disclosed data has been used from a range of reputable media outlets and sources.
1) Dabo Swinney, Clemson Tigers: $11.5 million
Dabo Swinney’s contract makes him the highest-paid college football head coach after the retirement of Nick Saban. The Clemson Tigers head coach signed a substantial 10-year $115 million contract in 2022, and his average annual salary of $11.5 million makes him the highest earner by a thin margin. However, with incentives sown into the deal, he can earn more than the reported number.
2) Kirby Smart, Georgia Bulldogs: $11.25 million
Kirby Smart belongs among the elite college football head coaches, and he is compensated like one too. The highest-paid head coach in the SEC is the second-highest-paid head coach in the sport, averaging $11.25 million annually. The Georgia Bulldogs head coach signed a mega 10-year $112.5 million contract extension in 2022, as a result of his massive success.
3) Steve Sarkisian, Texas: $10.3 million
Head coach Steve Sarkisian signed a new four-year contract extension after leading the Texas Longhorns to a Big 12 Championship and the College Football Playoff. The deal will see a huge jump in annual salary for the Longhorns head coach, earning $10.3 million annually, up from $5.8 million in 2023. This number can go even higher if he hits performance incentives.
4) Ryan Day, Ohio State Buckeyes: $10.2 million
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day signed an extension in 2022 that brought his salary to $9.5 million through 2028. However, The Columbus Dispatch reports that Day received a 5.25% pay rise in 2023. As a result, he reportedly earns $10.2 million annually. Day is eligible for a salary increase every February.
5) Kalen DeBoer, Alabama Crimson Tide: $10 million
The exact details of Kalen DeBoer’s contract with Alabama have not been disclosed. However, he is reported to earn an average salary of $10 million over the contract term. DeBoer replaced legendary HC Nick Saban in January 2024 and has more than doubled his salary since leaving Washington for the Crimson Tide.
6) Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans: $10 million
Lincoln Riley’s contract makes him one of the highest-paid college football head coaches after he signed a $110 million deal in 2021. Recent reports state that his salary is likely to be $10 million per year. Unsurprisingly, given the resources at USC, Riley has been able to parlay his reputation as a quarterback whisperer into a lucrative contract to lead the Trojans.
7) Mike Norvell, Florida State Seminoles: $10 Million
Mike Norvell signed a contract extension at the end of the 2023 season, which makes him one of the highest-paid head coaches in college football. The Athletic reports that the contract of the FSU head coach is for eight years and averages $10 million per year.
MORE: Longest Tenured College Football Head Coaches
After leading the Seminoles to an unbeaten regular season, Norvell had Florida State on the brink of the playoffs and was rewarded for his success.
8) Brian Kelly, LSU Tigers: $9.5 million
Brian Kelly became LSU head coach in 2021, leaving the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to join the Tigers. In Baton Rouge, Kelly was handed a 10-year contract estimated to pay him an annual salary of $9.5 million. However, Kelly has incentives in his deal that can allow him to earn much more than the reported salary amount.
9) Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss Rebels: $9 million
Lane Kiffin signed a contract extension following the Rebels’ 11-win season in 2023. While the exact terms of the contract are not fully disclosed, it is reported that Kiffin will earn a base salary of $8.75 million in 2024. He also received a $250,000 bonus on Jan. 1, as a retention bonus for the previous season. As a result, the Ole Miss head coach will earn $9 million in 2024.
10) Josh Heupel, Tennessee Volunteers: $9 million
Josh Heupel’s contract with the Tennessee Volunteers was extended in 2023, which sees him earn $9 million annually through 2029. The extension was a huge raise for the Vols head coach, who had earned $4 million on his previous deal.
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