Coaching college football seems like the most stressful job on the planet. College coaches are tasked with, essentially, raising 100-plus young men who are flying through their college years. Every aspect of your 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. 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 130 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.”
Here are the 25 highest-paid head coaches in college football, their total pay this year, and their record leading that school coming into the 2019 season.
Highest-Paid College Football Coaches 2019
25. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
Total Pay: $4.150 million
Record: 42-12
24. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
Total Pay: $4.399 million
Record: 107-51
23. Will Muschamp, South Carolina
Total Pay: $4.400 million
Record: 22-17
22. Ryan Day, Ohio State
Total Pay: $4.500 million
Record: 3-0
21. David Shaw, Stanford
Total Pay: $4.613 million
Record: 82-26
20. Chris Petersen, Washington
Total Pay: $4.625 million
Record: 47-21
19. Mark Stoops, Kentucky
Total Pay: $4.763 million
Record: 36-39
18. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Total Pay: $4.800 million
Record: 152-101
17. Gary Patterson, TCU
Total Pay: $4.900 million
Record: 167-63
16. Charlie Strong, South Florida
Total Pay: $5.000 million
Record: 17-8
15. Willie Taggart, Florida State
Total Pay: $5.000 million
Record: 5-7
14. Scott Frost, Nebraska
Total Pay: $5.000 million
Record: 4-8
13. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Total Pay: $5.125 million
Record: 121-59
12. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
Total Pay: $5.144 million
Record: 96-70
11. James Franklin, Penn State
Total Pay: $5.6500 million
Record: 45-21
10. Dan Mullen, Florida
Total Pay: $6.070 million
Record: 10-3
9. Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma
Total Pay: $6.384 million
Record: 24-4
8. Jeff Brohm, Purdue
Total Pay: $6.600 million
Record: 13-13
7. Tom Herman, Texas
Total Pay: $6.750 million
Record: 17-10
6. Gus Malzahn, Auburn
Total Pay: $6.827 million
Record: 53-27
5. Kirby Smart, Georgia
Total Pay: $6.871 million
Record: 32-10
4. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
Total Pay: $7.500 million
Record: 9-4
3. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Total Pay: $7.504 million
Record: 38-14
2. Nick Saban, Alabama
Total Pay: $8.857 million
Record: 146-21
1. Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Total Pay: $9.315 million
Record: 116-30
One name you didn’t see on that list is LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron. He ranks 30th nationally making $4.0 million per year. LSU is battling for the No. 1 ranking in college football, but Coach O makes the same amount of money as Illinois’ Lovie Smith and Virginia Tech’s Justin Fuente.
As coaches come and go between the Big Ten, SEC and even NFL, this list constantly changes. In 2019, Dabo Swinney jumped Nick Saban as college football’s highest-paid coach thanks to a 10-year, $93 million contract extension, and he shows no sign of slowing down in ACC.
Here is part of USA Today’s list from the 2018 college football season:
Highest-Paid College Football Coaches 2018
1. Nick Saban, Alabama Crimson Tide – $8.30 million
2. Urban Meyer, Ohio State Buckeyes – $7.60 million
3. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Wolverines – $7.50 million
4. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M Aggies – $7.50 million
5. Gus Malzahn, Auburn Tigers – $6.70 million
6. Kirby Smart, Georgia Bulldogs – $6.60 million
7. Dabo Swinney, Clemson Tigers – $6.20 million
8. Dan Mullen, Florida Gators- $6.07 million
9. Tom Herman, Texas Longhorns – $5.50 million
10. Scott Frost, Nebraska Cornhuskers – $5.00 million
