College football is experiencing strong growth, especially at the university level. This is where many talents for the football world are nurtured. Prestigious universities often have their own excellent coaches with diplomas and high qualifications. Of course, along with that comes a generous salary and benefits package. Below is the list of the Top 20 highest-paid college football coaches in 2024 according to the latest statistics from Wintips.
Highest-paid college football coaches
1. Nick Saban (University of Alabama – $11.41 million)
At the top of the highest paid college football coaches list is Mr. Nick Saban, the head coach of the Alabama university football team. Sometimes I forget that in a few lackluster seasons, Nick Saban once served as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins (his overall record in Miami was 15-17), where he earned nearly $5 million annually.
His time in Tuscaloosa, however, has been significantly less lackluster and much more lucrative. Under Saban's leadership for sixteen seasons, the Crimson Tide has claimed eight SEC championships and six national championships. Saban has coached four Heisman Trophy winners, won the Coach of the Year award nine times, and boasts an overall winning percentage of 88%.
2. Dabo Swinney (Clemson University – $10.88 million)
William Christopher "Dabo" Swinney has had an impressive college football career, both as a player and a coach. His contract extension signed in 2022 solidified his position as the head coach of the Clemson Tigers until the end of the 2031 season.
Dabo was involved in the Alabama Crimson Tide football program as a wide receiver and played a part in the team's 1992 national championship journey. In 2008, he became the head coach of the Clemson Tigers, replacing his former boss at Alabama, Tommy Bowden. In 2016 and 2018, Swinney led the Tigers to national championships, and his overall record at Clemson is 165-43. His contract is valued at a total of $115 million.
3. Kirby Smart (University of Georgia – $10.71 million)
The next name on the highest paid college football coaches list is Mr. Kirby Smart - Head Coach of Georgia University football team. In 2015, Kirby Smart became the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, the team he once played for as a college athlete. Since taking over as head coach, the Bulldogs have only lost 15 games.
They won consecutive national championships in 2021 and 2022, and they remain undefeated so far this year. Smart also secured an extremely lucrative multi-year contract. Last year, he signed a contract extension worth $112.5 million, making him the head coach of the Bulldogs until 2031.
4. Ryan Day (Ohio State University – $10.27 million)
Head football coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Ryan Day, is earning $10.27 million this year, which means his salary accounts for nearly 10% of the team's total revenue. Ohio State has performed very well under his tenure, but he has yet to lead them to a national championship.
I'm not trying to single out Ryan here, but I want to impress upon how interesting these college football coaching contracts can be: From 2010 to 2014, under the management of Bruce Bochy, the San Francisco Giants won three World Series titles. Three! And at that time, Bochy was earning about $6 million per year.
5. Mel Tucker (Michigan State University – $10.02 million)
Mel Tucker is no longer Michigan State's head coach. In September, Tucker was fired after it was reported that he had sexually harassed Brenda Tracy, a well-known advocate for sexual assault survivors and a survivor herself. Tucker has been the head coach of Michigan State's football team since 2020.
In 2021, he signed a 10-year contract extension worth $95 million. By firing him for good cause, Michigan State will avoid paying him the remaining $80 million in his contract. Harlon Barnett became MSU's interim coach after Tucker terminated his contract.
6. Lincoln Riley (University of Southern California – $10 million)
No. 6 on the highest paid college football coaches list is AD College coach Lincoln Riley. Because USC is a private university, they are not obligated to disclose details about the salary and contract of their football head coach, Lincoln Riley. However, reports indicate that his contract is worth $110 million over 10 years, making him one of the highest-paid college football coaches in the country.
Prior to joining USC, Riley was the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners, where he achieved a record of 55-10, making him the coach with the highest winning percentage in OU history. However, to date, he has a record of 18-5 at USC, and his playoff appearances are very low: He's only led 1 - 4 in bowl games and 0-3 in College Football Playoff appearances.
7. Brian Kelly (Louisiana – $9.9 million)
In 2021, Brian Kelly left Notre Dame to become the head coach of the LSU Tigers, signing a 10-year contract worth $95 million. The average base salary is $9.5 million per year, making him one of the highest-paid college football coaches in the country. However, his contract includes numerous bonuses and perks that could make the deal even sweeter.
For example, for each appearance in the SEC Championship Game, Kelly receives an additional $75,000. If the Tigers win, that figure doubles to $150,000. Every year Kelly remains the coach of the Tigers, he receives an additional half a million dollars - what's called a "longevity bonus." Oh, and if the Tigers play a bowl game, Kelly earns another half a million.
8. Jimbo Fisher (Texas A&M – $9.1 million)
In August 2021, Fisher signed a 4-year extension, making him the head coach of the Aggies until 2031. The average annual salary is $9 million. Last year, his team performed poorly, but because he would be owed $86 million if fired mid-season, he managed to keep his job.
Although the university would still have to pay an absurd amount - $76 million - to fire him this year, his position is considered precarious as the Aggies have a mediocre record of 5-4 and are no longer in contention for the SEC or national title.
9. Mark Stoops (University of Kentucky – $9 million)
Mark Stoops has been the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats since 2013, and in 2022, he signed a contract extension that will keep him at Lexington until 2030, where he will earn $9 million annually.
The Wildcats won 7-6 last year. This year, however, they're 6 - 3, and overall, Stoops is the coach with the most wins in school history.
10. Josh Heupel (University of Tennessee - $9 million)
With a salary ceiling of up to $9 million, Josh Heupel ranks 10th on the highest paid college football coaches list. In Josh Heupel's first year at the University of Tennessee, his team won 7–6 on aggregate and lost to Purdue in overtime.
Last year, the Volunteers won 11-2 and beat Clemson to win the Orange Bowl. If Heupel continues this trend, then extending the contract he signed — bringing his annual salary to around $9 million — would almost certainly be seen as a good move. And hey, that's a competitive ratio for an SEC head coach today.
11. Lane Kiffin (Mississippi - $9 Million)
Lane Kiffin has just completed his third season at Ole Miss and has led the Rebels to three consecutive bowl appearances in his first few years in Oxford. In his 11 years at the NCAA level, Kiffin boasts an all-time record of 84 - 47, including a 23 - 13 record at Ole Miss.
The Rebels once again rank among the national leaders in several offensive categories in 2022. Ole Miss ranks 3rd nationally in total offense (256.6) and 8th in total touchdowns (496.4). Kiffin has helped recruit and coach highly talented freshman running back Quinshon Judkins. Judkins set Ole Miss single-season records in both rushing attempts (1,567) and rushing touchdowns (16).
12. James Franklin (Penn State – $8.5 million)
Ranklin was born in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, on February 2, 1972, to James Oliver and Jocelyn "Josie" Franklin. He attended Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, and entered college at Pennsylvania's University of East Stroudsburg, where he played as a quarterback for 4 years.
Franklin began his coaching career in 1995 coaching wide receivers at Pennsylvania's Kutztown University. Coach Franklin has also interned at several National Football League (NFL) brands, including the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings
13. Jim Harbaugh (Michigan – $8.3 million)
James Joseph Harbaugh (born December 23, 1963) is an American football coach and former quarterback, as well as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as head coach at the University of Michigan from 2015 to 2023, the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014, Stanford University from 2007 to 2010, and the University of San Diego from 2004 to 2006.
Harbaugh played college football at Michigan from 1983 to 1986 and played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons from 1987 to 2000 with the longest tenure (1987–1993) as a Chicago Bears player. From 1994 to 2001, while still playing in the NFL, Harbaugh was an unpaid assistant coach at Western Kentucky University, where his father Jack was head coach.
14. Mario Cristobal (Miami – $8 million)
Coach Mario Cristobal is 14th on the highest paid college football coaches list. Mario Manuel Cristobal (born September 24, 1970) is the Cuban-American head football coach of the Miami Hurricanes football team at the University of Miami. Cristobal was previously the head football coach at Florida International University (FIU) from 2007 to 2012 and the University of Oregon from 2017 to 2021.
Cristobal's coaching career began at the University of Miami, where he worked as a graduate assistant to football team head coach Butch Davis from 1998 to 2000. From 2001 to 2003, Cristobal was the offensive team and tight end coach at Rutgers University under Greg Schiano. He returned to Miami to serve as a team coach and offensive team coach under Larry Coker for three seasons from 2004 to 2006.
15. Luke Fickell (Wisconsin – $7.6 million)
Luke Joseph Fickell, born on August 18, 1973, is an American football coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers. Previously, he served as the head football coach at the University of Cincinnati, a position he held from 2016 until November 2022. Fickell played college football as a nose guard at Ohio State University from 1993 to 1996 and later served as an assistant coach for the Buckeyes.
In 2011, Fickell was originally appointed interim head coach in place of Jim Tressel, who was given a 5-game NCAA suspension due to a recruiting scandal. However, in May of that year, Tressel resigned and Fickell was signed to a one-year contract as interim coach, only for the 2011 season.
16. Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State – $7.6 million)
Michael Ray Gundy, born on August 12, 1967, is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Oklahoma State University. Gundy played college football at Oklahoma State, where he played quarterback from 1986 to 1989. He became the head coach of Oklahoma State on January 3, 2005.
Gundy, along with Kyle Whittingham of the University of Utah, is currently one of the longest-tenured FBS coaches with a single school, second only to Kirk Ferentz. Gundy holds the record for the longest tenure in the Big 12 Conference.
17. Mike Norvell (Florida State – $7.3 million)
Coach Mario Cristobal is the next name we want to mention on the highest paid college football coaches list. Michael Kelly Norvell, born on October 11, 1981, is an American college football coach currently serving as the head coach of Florida State University. He has previously coached at Memphis, Arizona State, Pittsburgh, Tulsa, and Central Arkansas.
Norvell played wide receiver at Central Arkansas from 2001 to 2005 and is the all-time leader in receptions in the school's history. On December 8, 2019, Florida State University officially announced Norvell as head football coach. His contract originally cost $26.5 million for 6 years. On October 17, 2020, Norvell led the Seminoles to a win over North Carolina, becoming the first ACC coach to beat a Top 20 opponent in their first year.
18. Billy Napier (Florida – $7.3 million)
William Billy Napier (born July 21, 1979) is an American football coach currently serving as head coach at the University of Florida. From 2017 to 2021, he was the head coach at the University of Louisiana, setting a 40–12 record in four seasons with three consecutive wins across 10 seasons and two seasons finishing in the AP Poll, both of which were firsts in the show's history.
Prior to Louisiana, he served as offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Arizona State University in 2017. On November 28, 2021, Napier was named the 28th head football team coach at the University of Florida, replacing Dan Mullen. He was officially announced by Florida via a press conference on December 5, 2021.
19. Brent Venables (Oklahoma – $7 million)
Thomas Brent Venables (born December 18, 1970) is an American college football coach and head football coach at the University of Oklahoma, a position he has held since the 2022 season. Venables served as associate head coach, defensive coordinator and linebacker coach at Clemson University from 2012 to 2021. He was awarded the Broyles Prize in 2016.
In 1993, Venables began his coaching career at Kansas State as a graduate assistant. 1996, Venables was promoted to quarterback team coach and held that post until 1998. On December 5, 2021, Venables was named the 23rd head coach at the University of Oklahoma, replacing Lincoln Riley after he left to become head coach at the University of Southern California (USC).
20. Kirk Ferentz (Iowa – $7 million)
The last name we want to mention on the highest paid college football coaches list is coach Kirk Ferentz. Kirk James Ferentz (born August 1, 1955) is an American football coach. He is the head football coach at the University of Iowa, a position he has held since the 1999 season.
From 1990 to 1992, Ferentz was head football coach at the University of Maine. He was also an assistant coach for the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Ferentz played college football as a linebacker at the University of Connecticut from 1974 to 1976. Since 2017, he is the FBS coach with the longest working time with a program. Ferentz is the all-time lead in wins in Iowa.
Conclude
Above is the list of the 20 highest paid college football coaches - Latest update 2024. It can be seen that there are many talented strategists who command incredibly high salaries that even players would envy. Of course, in return, they must invest their knowledge and effort into tactics, game reading skills, and match understanding. Therefore, it's understandable why they command such large sums of money. Thank you for your interest in this article, and don't forget to visit the bookmaker legit website every day for more interesting updates.
