Clay Helton is the head coach at Georgia Southern. Before that, he was the head coach of USC from 2015-2021. Additionally, he served as an assistant coach for Houston, Duke, and Memphis. And it seems coaching is the family business, as his father, too was a coach for college football, the NFL, and the CFL.
Helton was raised in Gainesville, Florida, and was a graduate assistant for the Florida Gators football team. In college, Helton played for the Auburn Tigers football team in his freshman year. He transferred to Houston in 1993 and would graduate with a degree in mathematics and interdisciplinary science in 1994.
- Team: Georgia Southern Eagles
- Experience: Coaching since 1995
- Salary: $752,000 per year
Scott Frost was a head coach and former player at the University of Nebraska. He also served as head coach at the University of Central Florida. He earned $2.5 million per year. But as financially successful as he may have been, not all his plays were winning ones.
Scott Frost was the first Nebraska coach to have four consecutive losing seasons since coach Bill Jennings. Due to this, he was fired, but that doesn't mean he wasn't getting a paycheck. For 2020-2022, he earned $5 million per year. From 2023-2026, he'll get $2.5 million per year.
- Team: Formerly Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Experience: Since 2002
- Salary: $2.5 million
Mike Leach was the head football coach at Mississippi State University. He previously had served as the head coach at Texas Tech University and Washington State University. Coaching as far back as 1987, Mike Leach had made a huge impression on football with numerous honors over the years until his death in 2022.
Mike Leach was awarded National Coach of the Year twice, and Conference Coach of the Year three times. He was also known as the mastermind behind the NCAA record-setting “Air Raid” offense. However, his reputation was stained after an abuse scandal at Texas Tech. However, he made a comeback in 2012 when he started coaching for Washington State. He made about $5 million annually.
- Team: Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Experience: 1987-2022
- Salary: $5.5 million
Pat Fitzgerald of Northwestern University earned a salary of $5.37 million. He was the head coach of the Wildcats. He was selected shortly after the death of Randy Walker in 2006. When that happened, he was just 31 years old, making him the youngest head football coach in the Big Ten Conference and NCAA Division I FBS.
Before coaching the Wildcats, he started off as a linebacker for the Wildcats in the mid-1990s. After graduating, he started coaching at the University of Maryland. After moving around twice more, he moved back to Northwestern in 2001. In their first season with Fitzgerald as coach, they did not perform well, but Fitzgerald did not give up. He remained coach until July 2023, when he was relieved from his duties as coach.
- Team: Northwestern University Wildcats
- Experience: Since 1998
- Salary: $5.7 million
Mike Locksley, currently the head coach at the University of Maryland, earns a salary of $5.5 million. With an extensive coaching history, Locksley has honed his skills over the years. Previously serving as an offensive coordinator and interim head coach at Maryland, he has also been associated with renowned programs like Alabama and Illinois.
Locksley's coaching prowess extends to his time as the offensive coordinator at Alabama, contributing significantly to the team's success.
- Team: Maryland
- Experience: Since 1992
- Salary: $5.5 million
Matt Rhule’s recent coaching history has been pretty rocky. In 2022, he was fired as coach for the Carolina Panthers after failing to make it to the playoffs during his first two seasons. However, he’s recently been picked up by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and they were willing to pay a pretty penny to get him on the team!
Currently, Rhule’s salary at the University sits at $5.5 million per year. Considering his contract lasts eight years, Rhule will pick up an impressive $44 million if he manages to stay with the team that long.
- Team: Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Experience: Head Coach Since 2022
- Salary: $5.5 million
Jeff Brohm is the head football coach of Purdue University. He himself played college football at the University of Louisville under Coach Howard Schnellenberger. He then moved on to the NFL and played for the NFL for seven seasons. Among the teams he played for were the San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, and the Cleveland Browns.
For Brohm's first win at Purdue, his team won in a 44–21 victory over Ohio. In the 2021 season, Brohm was responsible for several wins, including the home opener, where Purdue defeated Oregon State 30–21. However, in 2022, he moved on to the Louisville Cardinals, where he makes a current salary of $5.55 million.
- Team: Louisville Cardinals
- Experience: Served as a head coach since 2002
- Salary: $5.55 million
Steve Sarkisian of the University of Texas at Austin has been the head coach there since January 2021 and earns $5.6 million. Formerly, he served as the head coach at the University of Washington from 2009-2013 and then at the University of Southern California from 2014-2015.
From 2017-2020, he switched his role to that of an offensive coordinator for the Atlantic Falcons of the NFL and then the University of Alabama. His current contract with the University of Texas as head coach is for six years and is worth $34.2 million. His coaching record is made up of eight season wins.
- Team: Texas Longhorns
- Experience: Since 2000
- Salary: $5.6 million
Lance Leipold, the head coach at the University of Kansas, has a proven track record. Leipold has an impressive coaching history, notably leading the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to six Division III national championships in eight years. Transitioning to the Division I level, he successfully revitalized the University at Buffalo's football program before taking the reins at Kansas in 2021.
Leipold's impact makes him a notable figure in college football, earning substantial compensation reflective of his coaching achievements and ongoing commitment to athletic excellence.
- Team: University of Kansas
- Experience: Since 1987
- Salary:$5.75 million
Pat Narduzzi is the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh. Previously, he was the defensive coordinator at Michigan State. He has attended both Youngstown State University and the University of Rhode Island and earned his Master’s degree at Miami University. His career began in 1990 at Miami University as a graduate assistant.
It was during that time that he tutored wide receivers in 1992. From 1993-1999, Pat Narduzzi coached at the University of Rhode Island, where he coached linebackers and served as a defensive coordinator. After years of serving as an assistant coach, he became a head coach for the first time in 2015. He now makes $5.9 million per year.
- Team: Pittsburgh Panthers
- Experience: Since 1990
- Salary: $5.9 million
Chip Kelly is the head coach for the UCLA Bruins. Before that, he made a notable impact in Oregon with the Oregon Ducks from 2009-2012. During this time, he led four BCS bowl game appearances. This success led him to the NFL, where he was the head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles for three seasons and the San Francisco 49ers for one.
Kelly started coaching in early 1990 at Columbia University. In 1992, he moved on to the University of New Hampshire as a running backs coach. He then became a defensive coordinator for Johns Hopkins University, but only for one season. Upon returning to New Hampshire, he would become promoted to offensive coordinator. Now, fast-forward to 2023, where Kelly is earning $5.98 million as head coach.
- Team: UCLA Bruins
- Experience: Since 1990
- Salary: $5.98 million
Arkansas native Eliah Drinkwitz, the head coach at Missouri, secures a notable spot among the highest-paid college football coaches, and for good reason. Drinkwitz boasts a commendable coaching history, having begun his career as an offensive coordinator at Arkansas State in 2012.
His talent was further evident during his tenure at Appalachian State, where he guided the Mountaineers to a Sun Belt Conference championship. In 2019, Drinkwitz took the helm at Missouri, swiftly making an impact. Known for his innovative offensive schemes, he continues to shape the Tigers' football program.
- Team: Missouri
- Experience: Since 2010
- Salary: $6 million
P.J. Fleck is the current head coach for the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team. Before that, he was the head coach for the Western Michigan Broncos football team from 2013-2016. For 2022, Fleck and his Golden Gophers finished the season with a 8-4 overall victory. He is currently paid $6 million.
Before becoming a successful college football coach, he was a player himself. Fleck played as a wide receiver for Northern Illinois University from 1999-2003. Then in the NFL, he played for the San Francisco 49ers from 2004-2005. For 2022, perhaps we’ll see even greater victories in the upcoming months.
- Team: Minnesota Golden Gophers
- Experience: Coaching since 2006
- Salary: $6 million
Shane Beamer, the head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, was an assistant at various prominent programs, including Virginia Tech and Georgia, honing his skills before landing the head coaching role at South Carolina in 2021.
Beamer brings a rich football pedigree, thanks to his father, Frank Beamer, a coaching legend. However, his experience since 2000 also contributes to his coaching skills and why he earns the big bucks.
- Team: South Carolina
- Experience: Since 2000
- Salary: $6.1 million
Gary Patterson was the football coach at Texas Christian University and led the most wins in the history of the Horned Frogs. He led them to six conference championships. Additionally, he had nine bowl game victories. For his efforts, Gary Patterson earned $6.1 million as head coach.
Patterson began coaching back in 1982 at Kansas State University as an assistant coach. After years of coaching as an assistant, he was eventually hired as a defensive coordinator for the University of New Mexico. Then in 1998, he became defensive coordinator at TCU until he was named head coach in 2000. Then, after 20 years of coaching, he was fired from TCU.
- Team: Texas Christian University Horned Frogs
- Experience: Since 1982
- Salary: $6.1 million
Kyle Whittingham, the head coach of the University of Utah, earns about $6.33 million annually. He has held this position since 2004, and that probably has to do with the fact that he is the all-time leader in wins at Utah. Prior to his position as head coach, he was defensive coordinator for 10 seasons.
Kyle Whittingham has won the AFCA Coach of the Year Award and the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award in 2008. Prior to his success as a coach, he found success as a player, serving as a linebacker for the BYU Cougars from 1978-1981. He then went on to play for the Denver Gold, New Orleans Breakers, and Calgary Stampeders.
- Team: Utah Utes
- Experience: Since 1985
- Salary: $6.33 million
While the football program at the University of Arkansas is not doing amazingly by any stretch of the imagination, their recent seasons have been noticeably better than some others, and that might have something to do with head coach Sam Pittman. Since he was hired in 2019, the team has been making improvements, but they still have a long way to go before they’re great.
Pittman’s current annual salary at the University of Arkansas is $6.4 million. During his time with the team, his overall record has been 19-17, which at least has more wins than losses—but is that a record really worth $6.4 million?
- Team: Arkansas Razorbacks
- Experience: Head Coach Since 2019
- Salary: $6.4 million
Bret Bielema, the head coach at the University of Illinois, earns a salary of $6.5 million, securing his place among the highest-paid college football coaches. With a robust coaching history, Bielema began his journey as a defensive coordinator at Wisconsin, later leading the Badgers to three consecutive Rose Bowls.
After a stint in the NFL, he returned to the college scene as the head coach at Arkansas, achieving success in the formidable SEC. He returned to the NFL in 2018, joining the New England Patriots and spending a year with the New York Giants. Illinois welcomed him in 2021 as head coach.
- Team: Illinois
- Experience: Since 1994
- Salary: $6.5 million
Hugh Freeze, the head coach at Auburn, commands attention with his salary. Known for his strategic know-how, Freeze has an impressive coaching history. Prior to his tenure at Auburn, he gained prominence at schools like Ole Miss and Liberty University. Freeze led the Ole Miss Rebels to notable successes, including victories over top-ranked teams.
Despite facing controversies, his coaching awareness has consistently elevated teams. Auburn's investment in Freeze reflects their confidence in his ability to steer the football program to new heights, making him a pivotal figure in collegiate coaching circles.
- Team: Auburn
- Experience: Since 2005
- Salary: $6.6 million
Dan Lanning, Oregon's head football coach, earns a whopping $6.6 million. Originally from Kansas City, he quickly climbed the coaching ladder. Before leading the Ducks in 2022, Lanning was the defensive coordinator at Georgia. His smart defensive plans helped Georgia succeed.
Now at Oregon, he's known for being good at strategy and helping players get better. Lanning's big salary reflects the high hopes the school has for him and the team.
- Team: Oregon
- Experience: Since 2011
- Salary: $6.6 million
Kirk Ferentz of the University of Iowa is the head coach of the Hawkeyes. He has held this position since 1999 and currently earns a salary of $7 million. Before that, he was the head coach of the University of Maine. Within the National Football League, he served as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens.
Having played football since high school at Upper St. Clair, Ferentz ended up playing linebacker for the University of Connecticut. Serving as an offensive line coach from 1981-1989, he eventually left Iowa to coach for the University of Maine. He then returned to Iowa in 1998 to become its head coach. Ferentz is now an all-time wins leader at Iowa and earns $5 million annually.
- Team: Iowa Hawkeyes
- Experience: Since 1981
- Salary: $7 million
Brent Venables returned to the University of Oklahoma in 2022. From 1999 to 2012, Venables was a coach at the university and made his way all the way up to associate head coach. After some time at Clemson, Venables is coming home—this time as head coach for the university football team.
Currently, Venables’ salary sits at $7.1 million. The team had a disappointing 2022 record of 6-7, so he’s going to need to get his players in shape if he wants that number to continue increasing…or if he wants to keep his job at all!
- Team: Oklahoma Sooners
- Experience: Head Coach Since 2022
- Salary: $7.1 million
Billy Napier has only been with the University of Florida since 2022, but, during that short time, his salary and his performance on the field have told two wildly different stories. Despite the fact that his team ended his inaugural season with 6-7 record, he’s still one of the highest-paid coaches in college football.
Currently, Billy Napier is pulling in an annual salary of $7.27 million, but it still remains to be seen if he’s going to be around much longer at the University of Florida. Until they give him the boot, he’s making bank, though!
- Team: Florida Gators
- Experience: Head Coach Since 2022
- Salary: $7.27 million
Mike Norvell, the head coach at Florida State, commands a substantial salary of $7.3 million. Norvell has a remarkable coaching history. Before joining the Seminoles in 2019, he led the Memphis Tigers to unprecedented success, including an impressive 38-15 record.
Norvell's offensive expertise and player development skills have consistently elevated his teams. His coaching journey began as a graduate assistant at Central Arkansas, followed by stints at Tulsa and Arizona State.
- Team: Florida State
- Experience: Since 2007
- Salary: $7.3 million
Dan Mullen served as the head coach of the University of Florida from 2018-2021. Unfortunately for him, a huge loss against Missouri resulted in him being dismissed as head coach. He was earning $7.5 million at the time. From 2009-2017, he was the head football coach at Mississippi State University, where he had many victories.
Early in his football career, he played tight end for Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. There he earned a bachelor’s degree in education and went to Wagner to earn a master’s degree, while he coached wide receivers. Over the years he has coached many notable players, including Tim Tebow, Alex Smith, and Kyle Trask.
- Team: Florida Gators
- Experience: Since 1994
- Salary: $7.5 million
The University of Wisconsin had to pay a pretty penny to lure coach Luke Fickell from his previous post with the Cincinnati Bearcats. However, the price was right, and 2023 will mark his first season with the team. While his initial salary was nothing to laugh at, his contract also stipulates several bumps in his pay as he progresses.
Currently, Fickell’s salary with the team is set at $7.63 million, but his contract comes with annual raises that will push him closer to the $8 million mark over time. If he can turn the team around, we imagine that those numbers will climb even higher.
- Team: Wisconsin Badgers
- Experience: First Year as Head Coach in 2023
- Salary: $7.63 million
Mike Gundy, the head coach at Oklahoma State, is a prominent figure in college football renowned for his coaching prowess and distinctive mullet hairstyle. Since taking the reins in 2005, Gundy has transformed the Cowboys into a consistent force in the competitive Big 12 Conference. Known for his offensive expertise, Gundy led Oklahoma State to numerous bowl appearances and conference successes.
Gundy's lucrative contract reflects his impact, making him among the highest-paid college football coaches. His ability to develop talent and achieve on-field success has solidified Gundy's status as a well-compensated and respected figure in the collegiate coaching landscape.
- Team: Oklahoma State
- Experience: Since 1991
- Salary: $7.63 million
Mario Cristobal might still be in the honeymoon phase with the University of Miami (he was hired at the end of 2021), but it’s clear everyone is in for the long haul, as his contract extends an entire decade. Despite success with other teams in Oregon and Alabama, he decided to make a return to his hometown of Miami.
Currently, Cristobal’s salary sits at an impressive $8 million, but there may be trouble on the horizon. Some poor performances by the Hurricanes have some fans speculating that Cristobal will be shown the door soon.
- Team: Miami Hurricanes
- Experience: Head Coach Since 2023
- Salary: $8 million
Despite rumors of a career switch to the NFL, University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh has recently singed an extension with the university. What’s truly amazing is that, despite the fact that Harbaugh has recently taken a pay cut, he’s still one of the highest-paid coaches in college football!
At the University of Michigan, Franklin’s current salary is $8.25 million. However, his contract comes with some hefty penalties if he leaves the team, ranging from one million to three million.
- Team: Michigan Wolverines
- Experience: Head Coach Since 2015
- Salary: $8.25 million
James Franklin has been head coach at Penn State since 2014, and despite the team's less-than-impressive recent record on the field, he’s still one of the highest-paid coaches in the game currently. While he was rumored to be a potential hire at several universities recently, it seems that he might have been using those as leverage for his position at Penn.
Currently, Franklin boasts an impressive salary of $8.5 million. However, the money doesn’t stop there, as he also receives bonuses in the hundreds of thousands for bowl and championship wins. That doesn’t sound like a bad job to us!
- Team: Nittany Lions
- Experience: Head Coach Since 2014
- Salary: $8.5 million
David Shaw is the head coach of the Stanford Cardinal football team. He previously served as the team’s offensive coordinator when Jim Harbaugh served as head coach from 2007 to 2010. Shaw became promoted to head coach in 2011 and held that position until November 2022, earning a whopping $8.9 million. It was in 2022 that David Shaw stepped down as coach.
Born in San Diego, California, Shaw moved around with his family before playing high school football at Rochester Adams High School in Michigan. There, his father Willie coached for the Detroit Lions until he got a job at Stanford University. David Shaw himself would play as a wide receiver at Stanford. After playing college football, he would become an assistant NFL coach, and college assistant coach before becoming the head coach of Stanford.
- Team: Stanford Cardinal
- Experience: Since 1995
- Salary: $8.9 million
Lane Kiffin is the head coach at the University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss. Before that, he served as the offensive coordinator for the USC Trojans football team, from 2005-2006, and later, the head coach of the NFL’s Oakland Raiders, which at the time made him the youngest NFL coach in modern history.
Additionally, he was the head coach for the University of Tennessee Volunteers and the Trojans. From 2014-2016, he served as defensive coordinator at the University of Alabama. Thereafter, he was the head coach of the Florida Atlantic before moving to Ole Miss. With so much experience in such a little time, his qualifications are certainly evident. He is said to make $9 million annually.
- Team: Ole Miss Rebels
- Experience: Since 1997
- Salary: $9 million
Mark Stoops, coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, earns a salary of $9 million. He's had a long history of coaching, starting with his graduate assistant coach position at Iowa from 1989-1991. He was also an athletic director and defensive backs coach at Nordonia High School in Macedonia, Ohio.
Stoops would become a defensive backs coach for the South Florida Bulls, University of Wyoming Cowboys, the University of Houston Cougars, and the University of Miami Hurricanes. He got his first head coach job at the University of Kentucky in 2013. Though he was off to a rough start, by 2016, he had his first winning season.
- Team: Kentucky Wildcats
- Experience: Since 1989
- Salary: $9 million
In 2022, the University of Tennessee had its best season since 2001 with an impressive record of 11-2, and many people credit their success to head coach Josh Heupel. He may be paid an eye-watering amount of money, but for many fans, it’s money well spent. Heupel recently signed a contract extension that will keep him with the team until 2029.
Heupel’s annual salary is an unbelievable $9 million, but we imagine that there are plenty of perks and bonuses that push that total much higher. If he keeps up the success on the field, that number could go even higher.
- Team: Tennessee Volunteers
- Experience: Head Coach Since 2021
- Salary: $9 million
Ed Orgeron was the head football coach at Louisiana State University. He held the position from 2016-2021. Before that, he served at the University of Mississippi from 2005-2007 and then the University of Southern California from 2010-2013. At LSU, he earned $9 million until he was let go from the program after 2021.
Ed Orgeron grew up in Louisiana and played football for Louisiana State University and Northwestern State University. He started his coaching career as an assistant at Northwestern State. His first stint as a coach began in 1998 at USC when he acted as an offensive guru. By 2003, he was named assistant head coach.
- Team: LSU Tigers
- Experience: Since 1984
- Salary: $9 million
Jimbo Fisher is the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies. Before then, he was the head coach of Florida State. There, he won the 2014 BCS National Championship Game. Prior to becoming a successful football coach, he was the 1987 NCAA Division III National Player of the Year at Samford University.
Now earning $9.15 million, Fisher started his coaching career in 1988 as a graduate assistant, working with quarterbacks almost exclusively. He was then hired as a full-time offensive coordinator and a quarterbacks coach. Later he would become head coach at Florida State in 2010 until moving to Texas in 2018.
- Team: Texas A&M Aggies
- Experience: Since 2018
- Salary: $9.15 million
Brian Kelly has only been at Louisiana State University since the 2022 season, but he’s already been making bank since he got there. The contract he signed with the team is more than triple what he was paid with his previous team at Notre Dame. With a 10-4 season record, it’s mostly money well spent.
Currently, Brian Kelly has a salary of $9.98 million at LSU, compared to his contract with Notre Dame, which only paid him $2.67 million. It was definitely a step up for the coach!
- Team: LSU Tigers
- Experience: Head Coach Since 2022
- Salary: $9.98 million
Mel Tucker of Michigan State University earns $10 million annually as head coach. He previously served the University of Colorado and its football team. On top of this, he was the interim head coach for the Jacksonville Cougars of the NFL. He has served as a defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears and the University of Georgia.
Tucker’s coaching career began with the Michigan State Spartans as a graduate assistant. In the NFL, he coached defensive backs for the Cleveland Browns. He would get his first head coach job with the Colorado Buffaloes. After a losing season, he resigned to accept a head coach position at Michigan State. As of 2023, Mel Tucker has been suspended over harassment allegations.
- Team: Michigan State Spartans
- Experience: Since 1997
- Salary: $10 million
Ryan Day of Ohio State University is a head football coach and former college football player. He is relatively new to the position, compared to the other coaches on this list as he has only been in the position since 2019. Even so, the man is currently making $10.2 million as Ohio State’s head coach.
Before the official head coach position, Ryan Day had served as the acting head coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes for the first three games of 2018. As a college football player at the University of New Hampshire, he was quarterback and linebacker for the Wildcats from 1998-2001. He began coaching in 2002.
- Team: Ohio State University
- Experience: Since 2002
- Salary: $10.2 million
Lincoln Riley is the head coach of the USC Trojans at the University of Southern California. He was the head coach at the University of Oklahoma for five seasons before that–from 2017-2021. There, he won four consecutive Big 12 Championship Games and earned a record of 55–10.
Lincoln Riley started as a student assistant in college and gradually made his way up to receiver’s coach. He then served five seasons as an offensive coordinator at East Carolina University. In 2015, he was hired as the offensive coordinator for the Oklahoma Sooners. In 2021, he was named the head coach for USC to replace Clay Helton.
- Team: USC Trojans
- Experience: Since 2003
- Salary: $10 million
Kirby Smart is the head football coach of the Georgia Bulldogs. He has helped the team earn a national championship title win in 2022, which was their first win since 1980. Since 2016, he has led the Bulldogs to victory again and again. He is earning $10.7 million at the University of Georgia.
Kirby Smart was born in Montgomery, Alabama, but he grew up in Bainbridge, Georgia. It was there, at Bainbridge High School, that he started his playing career, thereafter, attending the University of Georgia. In 1999, he began his career at the University of Georgia, working as an administrative assistant. Then, he moved to Valdosta State, and after several other moves, he wouldn’t return to Georgia until 2015.
- Team: Georgia Bulldogs
- Experience: Since 1999
- Salary: $10.7 million
Dabo Swinney is the head coach for Clemson University and their team, the Clemson Tigers. He has been coach for the team since the midway point of 2008, when Tommy Bowden resigned. During his time as coach for Clemson, Swinney has led the Tigers to the national championship in 2017 and 2019.
In college, Swinney was a walk-on wide receiver at the University of Alabama. While completing his MBA, he served as a graduate assistant. After earning his degree, he became a full-time assistant coach. He joined Clemson University in 2003 and would become interim head coach in 2008. He remains coach to this day, earning a salary of $10.9 million.
- Team: Clemson Tigers
- Experience: Since 1993
- Salary: $10.9 million
Nick Saban is one of the highest-paid college football coaches in the country. Serving as the head coach for the University of Alabama since 2007, he also served as coach for the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and three other notable universities: Michigan State, Louisiana State, and the University of Toledo. He makes about $11.4 million.
Many consider Saban to be one of the greatest college football coaches in history. He has led his teams through numerous championships and has won seven national titles as a head coach, which is more than any other coach in college football history. If anyone deserves to be paid a lot for their coaching talents, it’s Nick Saban.
- Team: Alabama Crimson Tide
- Experience: Since 1973
- Salary: $11.4 million
Bryan Harsin is the head coach of Auburn University and their team, the Auburn Tigers. Formerly, he coached for the Boise State University Broncos for several years and had a 64-17 win record. However, his first coaching gig was at Arkansas State in 2013. Then he made his way to Auburn, and things...well, didn't go well.
There were a series of people getting fired, and eventually, in 2022, Harsin was also fired. That being said, Auburn was still on the hook to pay the remainder of his contract. When broken down, that meant that Auburn owed Harsin over $15 million in a lump sum. So far, he's only gotten $7 million, but the rest is still owed and to come.
- Team: Formerly Auburn Tigers
- Experience: Since 2000
- Salary: $15.575 million
Coach Deion Sanders aka Coach Prime is one of the richest coaches in the league. In 2023, he signed a five-year contract that is worth $29.5 million before incentives. Annually, he’ll be making $5.5 million, but that amount just goes up and up when you look at the incentives.
Some of those incentives include $150,000 for winning six games and achieving bowl eligibility, $100,000 for every additional win beyond six, $150,000 if Colorado wins the Pac—12, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Needless to say, Coach Prime is now rollin’ in the dough.
- Team: Colorado
- Experience: Since 2012
- Salary: $29.5 million
