I've never put much stock in the saying "money can't buy happiness." Finding a well-paying job is what we're all striving to do in this modern, materialistic world. Without a healthy financial backing, many of our hobbies and vacations are put on hold until we have the dough to do it. Give me a six-figure salary, and I'll show you the happiest, debt-free version of myself.
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But when you see the highest-paid public employees across America, you start to realize how important sports are to the image and perception of billion dollar institutions that are supposed to set young kids up for that dream of high salaries and life-long success. ESPN compiled a list of the highest-paid employees in public roles across the country over the last year. According to that data, the highest-paid state employees in 40 states across America are head coaches of NCAA athletic programs.
Nope, vice presidents of the schools your kids are attending don't make squat compared to winning football games. Not a chance that medical school and health sciences employees — you know, the people conducting research that's actually keeping us alive — are more important than NCAA Tournament bids.
In some cases, state governors don't even sniff what college football coaches make. For example, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster earned $106,100, according ESPN's data. As for Clemson University head football coach Dabo Swinney? He made almost 90-times that much money this year.
What follows are the names, positions and 2019 earnings of the highest-paid public employees in every state. Only one woman, University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy, made the list.
Highest-Paid Public Employees by State
Alabama
Name: Nick Saban
Job: University of Alabama football coach
Salary: $8.9 million
Alaska
Name: Dr. James R. Johnsen
Job: University of Alaska president
Salary: $384,600
Arizona
Name: Sean Miller
Job: University of Arizona men's basketball coach
Salary: $2.7 million
Arkansas
Name: Chad Morris
Job: Former University of Arkansas football coach
Salary: $4 million
California
Name: Chip Kelly
Job: UCLA football coach
Salary: $3.5 million
Colorado
Name: Mel Tucker
Job: University of Colorado football coach
Salary: $2.4 million
Connecticut
Name: Dan Hurley
Job: University of Connecticut men's basketball coach
Salary: $3 million
Delaware
Name: Dr. Mark T. Brainard
Job: Delaware Tech president
Salary: $246,000
Florida
Name: Dan Mullen
Job: University of Florida football coach
Salary: $6.1 million
Georgia
Name: Kirby Smart
Job: University of Georgia football coach
Salary: $6.9 million
Hawaii
Name: Dr. Jay Boughanem
Job: University of Hawai'i staff surgeon
Salary: $634,000
Idaho
Name: Bryan Harsin
Job: Boise State University football coach
Salary: $1.8 million
Illinois
Name: Lovie Smith
Job: University of Illinois football coach
Salary: $4 million
Indiana
Name: Jeff Brohm
Job: Purdue University football coach
Salary: $6.6 million
Iowa
Name: Kirk Ferentz
Job: University of Iowa football coach
Salary: $4.8 million
Kansas
Name: Bill Self
Job: University of Kansas men's basketball coach
Salary: $4.1 million
Kentucky
Name: John Calipari
Job: University of Kentucky men's basketball coach
Salary: $9.3 million
Louisiana
Name: Ed Orgeron
Job: Louisiana State University football coach
Salary: $4 million
Maine
Name: Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy
Job: University of Maine president
Salary: $350,000
Maryland
Name: Mark Turgeon
Job: University of Maryland men's basketball coach
Salary: $2.9 million
Massachusetts
Name: Dr. Michael Collins
Job: University of Massachusetts chancellor
Salary: $1.1 million
Michigan
Name: Jim Harbaugh
Job: University of Michigan football coach
Salary: $7.5 million
Minnesota
Name: P.J. Fleck
Job: University of Minnesota football coach
Salary: $3.6 million
Mississippi
Name: Matt Luke
Job: Former Ole Miss football coach
Salary: $3.1 million
Missouri
Name: Cuonzo Martin
Job: University of Missouri men's basketball coach
Salary: $2.8 million
Montana
Name: Laurence Hubbard
Job: Montana State Fund president
Salary: $342,300
Nebraska
Name: Scott Frost
Job: University of Nebraska football coach
Salary: $5 million
Nevada
Name: Tony Sanchez
Job: Former University of Nevada-Las Vegas football coach
Salary: $602,000
New Hampshire
Name: James W. Dean Jr.
Job: University of New Hampshire president
Salary: $445,000
New Jersey
Name: Chris Ash
Job: Former Rutgers University football coach
Salary: $2.3 million
New Mexico
Name: Bob Davie
Job: University of New Mexico football coach
Salary: $823,700
New York
Name: Dr. Thomas J. Quatroche Jr.
Job: ECMC President and CEO
Salary: $876,400
North Carolina
Name: Roy Williams
Job: University of North Carolina men's basketball coach
Salary: $3.3 million
North Dakota
Name: Dr. Larry P. Nybladh
Job: Grand Forks Public Schools superintendent
Salary: $231,200
Ohio
Name: Ryan Day
Job: Ohio State University football coach
Salary: $4.5 million
Oklahoma
Name: Lincoln Riley
Job: University of Oklahoma football coach
Salary: $6.4 million
Oregon
Name: Dana Altman
Job: University of Oregon men's basketball coach
Salary: $2.8 million
Pennsylvania
Name: James Franklin
Job: Penn State University football coach
Salary: $5.7 million
Rhode Island
Name: David Cox
Job: University of Rhode Island men's basketball coach
Salary: $700,000
South Carolina
Name: Dabo Swinney
Job: Clemson University football coach
Salary: $9.3 million
South Dakota
Name: T.J. Otzelberger
Job: Former SD State men's basketball coach
Salary: $400,000
Tennessee
Name: Jeremy Pruitt
Job: University of Tennessee football coach
Salary: $3.9 million
Texas
Name: Jimbo Fisher
Job: Texas A&M University football coach
Salary: $7.5 million
Utah
Name: Kyle Whittingham
Job: University of Utah football coach
Salary: $4 million
Vermont
Name: Dr. Frederick C. Morin III
Job: University of Vermont dean
Salary: $582,300
Virginia
Name: Tony Bennett
Job: University of Virginia men's basketball coach
Salary: $4.2 million
Washington
Name: Chris Petersen
Job: Former University of Washington football coach
Salary: $4.6 million
West Virginia
Name: Bob Huggins
Job: WVU men's basketball coach
Salary: $3.9 million
Wisconsin
Name: Paul Chryst
Job: University of Wisconsin football coach
Salary: $4.2 million
Wyoming
Name: Chris Bohl
Job: University of Wyoming football coach
Salary: $2.1 million
