Coaching college football seems like the most stressful job on the planet. College coaches are tasked with, essentially, raising 100-plus young men flying through their college years. Every aspect of the job, from press conferences to behavior on the field, is scrutinized by everyone. If you're not performing well, it's not easy to hide, especially if you're one of the 25 highest-paid college football coaches.
When you're headed for the College Football Playoff, your body of work is met with questions like, "Is it good enough?" It's a day-in, day-out grind, and honestly, I understand why so few coaches find national championship-level success. Despite that diatribe in support of the NCAA's elite leaders, I'd happily eat the B.S. coming my way if I made the kind of money these college football coaches do.
Annually, USA Today publishes a database listing the salaries of all 131 FBS head football coaches. Everything from a coach's maximum bonus to buyout numbers are available, but the most important number is a category titled "Total Pay." Based on this and some more extensive research, we can still figure out who is making the most to wear the headset on Saturdays.
Here are the 25 highest-paid college football coaches, their base salaries in 2022 and their record at their respective schools as of Nov. 30, 2022.
25. P.J. Fleck, Minnesota Golden Gophers
David Berding via Getty Images
Base salary: $5.1 million
Record: 43-27
24. Pat Narduzzi, Pitt Panthers
Logan Whitton via Getty Images
Base salary: $5.3 million
Record: 61-41
23. Steve Sarkisian, Texas Longhorns
David K Purdy via Getty Images
Base salary: $5.45 million
Record: 13-11
22. Mike Leach, Mississippi State Bulldogs
Justin Ford via Getty Images
Base salary: $5.5 million
Record: 19-17
21. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern Wildcats
Steven Branscombe via Getty Images
Base salary: $5.748 million
Record: 110-101
20. Kyle Whittingham, Utah Utes
Ethan Miller via Getty Images
Base salary: $6 million
Record: 153-73
19. Brent Venables, Oklahoma Sooners
Brian Bahr via Getty Images
Base salary: $6.4 million
Record: 6-6
18. Hugh Freeze, Auburn Tigers
Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
Base salary: $6.5 million (reportedly)
Record: 0-0
T16. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa Hawkeyes
Steven Branscombe via Getty Images
RELATED: The "Iowa Wave" is College Football's Most Inspiring Tradition
Base salary: $7 million
Record: 185-115
T16. James Franklin, Penn State Nittany Lions
Scott Taetsch via Getty Images
Base salary: $7 million
Record: 77-36
15. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Wolverines
Justin Casterline via Getty Images
Base salary: $7.05 million
Record: 73-24
14. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss Rebels
Jonathan Bachman via Getty Images
Base salary: $7.25 million
Record: 23-12
T12. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State Cowboys
John E. Moore III via Getty Images
Base salary: $7.5 million
Record: 156-74
T12. Luke Fickell, Wisconsin Badgers
Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images
Base salary: $7.5 million (reportedly)
Record: 0-0
11. Mario Cristobal, Miami Hurricanes
Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
RELATED: Mario Cristobal's Miami Renaissance Would Make College Football Infinitely Better
Base salary: $8 million
Record: 5-7
10. David Shaw, Stanford Cardinal
David Madison via Getty Images
Base salary: $8.925 million
Record: 96-54 (resigned at end of 2022 season)
T8. Mark Stoops, Kentucky Wildcats
Andy Lyons via Getty Images
Base salary: $9 million (reportedly)
Record: 66-58
T8. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M Aggies
Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Base salary: $9 million
Record: 39-21
T5. Ryan Day, Ohio State Buckeyes
Emilee Chinn via Getty Images
Base salary: $9.5 million
Record: 45-5
T5. Mel Tucker, Michigan State Spartans
Emilee Chinn via Getty Images
Base salary: $9.5 million
Record: 18-14
T5. Brian Kelly, LSU Tigers
John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Base salary: $9.5 million
Record: 9-3
4. Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans
Jayne Kamin-Oncea via Getty Images
Base salary: $10-plus million (estimated)
Record: 11-1
3. Kirby Smart, Georgia Bulldogs
Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
RELATED: Kirby Smart's New 10-Year, $112.5 Million Contract Extension Puts Him in Rare Company
Base salary: $10.25 million
Record: 78-15
2. Dabo Swinney, Clemson Tigers
Jacob Kupferman via Getty Images
Base salary: $10.5 million
Record: 160-38
1. Nick Saban, Alabama Crimson Tide
Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Base salary: $10.7 million
Record: 193-27
That's right. Alabama's main man is college football's deserved top earner. He signed yet another contract extension that will pay him an average of $11.7 million in annual salary over the next eight years, meaning he'll be competing for national championships in Tuscaloosa until he's 78. Saban's new deal came barely a month after Georgia's Kirby Smart was awarded a 10-year, $112 million deal that made him the highest-paid coach in college football for a hot second.
As coaches come and go between the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and even NFL, this list constantly changes. LSU poached Brian Kelly from Notre Dame and paid him a pretty penny. USC did the same thing with Lincoln Riley and Oklahoma. In the midst of all this, Michigan State's Mel Tucker, Penn State's James Franklin and Ohio State's Ryan Day inked new, lucrative deals to stay at their respective schools. Mario Cristobal also left Oregon to take the job at his alma mater, the University of Miami. The Ducks replaced him with former Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning, who didn't make the list but made $4.6 million this year. Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin received a significant pay raise after leading the Rebels to a 10-3 record in 2021, too.
Despite the uncertainty of the coaching carousel, one thing is certain. It pays to coach college football.
This post will be updated as more information is available.
MORE: The 5 Active College Football Head Coaches With National Titles
Related Videos
Enjoy all things sports?
Don't miss a story! Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox.