College Football Head Coach Salaries
https://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/salaries/football/coach
Per D1.Ticker:
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USA Today has released its database of football coaches’ salaries, which is topped, unsurprisingly, by Alabama HC Nick Saban ($11.4M). He is followed by Clemson HC Dabo Swinney ($10.88M), Georgia HC Kirby Smart ($10.7M), Ohio State HC Ryan Day ($10.27M), former Michigan State HC Mel Tucker ($10.01M), LSU HC Brian Kelly ($9.9M), Texas A&M HC Jimbo Fisher ($9.15M), Kentucky HC Mark Stoops ($9.013M), and Tennessee HC Josh Heupel and Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin ($9M) in the top 10.
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October 3rd, 2023 at 5:16 PM ^
For those of you who are too lazy to click the link...here are the top 20.
I haven't checked, but my assumption is that this list does not include private schools...so Lincoln Riley, Marcus Freeman (and formerly Pat Fitzgerald) are probably not included.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:37 PM ^
Harbaugh's base salary plus bonuses slot him in at #6 on the list.
Adjusted Top 10 when you account for what the coaches were actually paid in 2022-23 are:
1. Smart
2. Saban
3. Dabo
4. Third Base
5. Purple Face
6. Harbaugh
7. MeLLLLLLL Tucker
8. Kiffin
9. Heupel
10. Stoops (tie)
10. Jimbo (tie)
October 4th, 2023 at 1:08 AM ^
Harbaugh's bonus this year is going to be even better.
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:43 PM ^
both lists are wrong:
meLLLL msu $0 big ten $0 $0 0* stolen, none given to assistants....
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:19 PM ^
If you’re trying to see who is overpaid in the top 20, start with the 5 coaches that got zero bonuses last year.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:19 PM ^
Give Coach Harbaugh a 4 million dollar raise please.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:29 PM ^
and a Ten Year extension
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:10 PM ^
Funny, it seems like us fans were clamoring for a contract extension end of last year/beginning of this year because of the whole NFL rumors and burgergate. Haven’t really heard anything on the lines of the extensions when they were supposedly working through it.
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:31 PM ^
It’s because we’re gunna win the national championship this year and Harbaugh will walk off into the sunset and go to the NFL, alone with most of our starters. Will be sad, but we gotta win it all to make it worth it!
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:37 PM ^
i gotta bad feeling that mgrowold is going to be able to keep the $2 he would otherwise owe me.
free JH! cheeseburger jail justice!
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:23 PM ^
I hope Harbaugh isn't going anywhere.
I'm just shocked that so many Michigan fans speak this every year yet every year he's back. We need to all be screaming at the top of our lungs for him to stay.
I never want to go back to Rich Rod/Hoke days or become Stanford after he left there. Yes we could get a good coach and be competitive but right now we are almost unbeatable in our conference and a top 3/4 program...
so give the man whatever he wants because WE CANNOT DO BETTER THAN JIM HARBAUGH
October 4th, 2023 at 9:44 AM ^
Yep. Nothing is certain if he leaves. We of all fanbases should know this.
I hope he really means that about not trying to "out-happy happy" and rides it out in Ann Arbor. He can be this generation's Bo - the iconic figure everyone thinks of when someone mentions Michigan football.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:36 AM ^
After 2019 and 2020 I wanted him gone. I didn't think he would fix this team but he got the ship right and the locker room is as healthy as its been since he walked in.
M needs to pay and keep Jim because there isn't a better replacement out there right now.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:23 PM ^
Besides Saban and Kirby, this list is laughable.
Looks like Harbaugh needs a raise.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:23 PM ^
It is a crime Jim Harbaugh making less than Lane fucking Kiffin.
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:00 PM ^
It's a crime a coach gets paid $10 million for football. But that's the world we occupy.
All those damn starving children in Micronesia...
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:05 PM ^
Actually, Micronesia is one of the four fattest nations on Earth. Not sure why I know that, but there it is…
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:07 PM ^
Sounds more like Macronesia.
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:14 PM ^
I once read a fantastic position paper on economic expansion in Micronesia.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:10 AM ^
I wish I could highlight these couple of messages and post them as a pop up for everyone to read when the visit MGoblog. This is gold.
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:09 PM ^
Not to mention Kelly. ND got the deal on that move for sure. Tucker pulled the sales job of the century, even if it was short lived. Harbaugh not being a top 3 is a straight up travesty.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:30 PM ^
I like the idea of bonus pay for exceeding the standard, but please pay Jim more.
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:27 PM ^
Jim is rich.
Perhaps pay the assistants more and develop more alphawave/betawave/yoga/meditation/training/focus weirdness programs to allow the kids to be the best version of themselves while excelling the most on the field.
The Team. The Team. The Team.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:36 PM ^
That Mellll guy deserves more imo
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:11 PM ^
Oh he’ll get more! This list doesn’t account for Settlement Money After Dismissal For Sexual Harassment.
Add that column and Mel Tucker becomes the highest paid coach of 2023, I guarantee it
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:36 PM ^
I don’t know what Warde is doing. Get the contract done. Sheesh.
October 3rd, 2023 at 9:57 PM ^
I do...and it takes two.
And right now Jim is not interested in a new contract.
I've said this a million times, but I'll say it again.
1. Jim's contract has a ton of bonuses and incentives that put him close to the top 5. He is not hurting for money.
2. Jim's current deal allows him to leave without owing much (if anything)...if he signs a new deal, that changes.
3. Jim ego cares about money, his agent does, etc. - but most days, he's not thinking about it at all. The man just wants to go to work and coach. Truly. It's mainly when the Mel Tucker's and Brian Kelly's of the world get megadeals that it pisses him off. But he'll never act like he *needs* the money.
If there was a rule that no coach could make over $5M and all the extra money went into a pot and got distributed to players...Jim would make his salary $4M just to prove a point. But it's the fact that if they don't pay him...they're paying themselves that eats at him.
(they being "they" aka "the bosses").
Warde can and *has* put deals in front of Jim's agent and he's just not interested in it right now. In many ways, I understand it.
4. And here is the last point...if Jim signs a contract, he loses leverage. Or at least he feels like he could. People can stop listening to him as much and maybe they don't jump the way they do now. Right now, he's in control, he keeps them on edge...they have to keep him happy. There is value in that and he knows it. No one tells Jim no. Because he has options. You want people tip-toeing if you're Jim Harbaugh.
But if he signs something and it's harder for him to leave...maybe people don't push admissions as hard. Maybe he has to sacrifice sometimes or wait on some things he wants, because everyone knows, he's "locked" in.
Which is what all of you want when you bitch about getting him a contract. You want to keep him happy and you want to lock him in.
That is EXACTLY what Jim Harbaugh wants to prevent. He'll move when he's good a ready.
October 4th, 2023 at 10:05 AM ^
You make a bunch of great points. And maybe he does not care about this, but it also hurts recruiting. With the success Michigan has had recently, they should be signing mega classes. But other teams are using JIM TO THE NFL every day. And it does have legs to it. Unless he signed a long term mega deal and proved to all he will be here for the long haul and wants to build a dynasty. Then blue chip recruits would come. In droves.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:37 PM ^
Harbaugh deserves a massive raise.
Fire Warde Manuel!
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:00 PM ^
I never understand this clamoring to pay MORE for a coach. When in life do you want to pay more to get the same thing? Do you all really think 4 million more is going to keep Jim Harbaugh here if he wants to go to the NFL?
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:08 PM ^
We're just not willing to have $$ (at this level it's $$ as a sign of respect and love) be the reason he might leave. He can leave if he wants, but it can't be because of the contract.
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:52 PM ^
No but that is not the point, if your coach is worth it then you make the offer. The absolute worst move you can make is not putting forth the offer to provide additional incentive for him to make a move.
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:02 PM ^
And how do you know that Warde hasn't put forth an offer?
October 4th, 2023 at 9:18 AM ^
Of course you don't pay more to get the same thing, but no one is saying that. Rather, the point being made is that it's smart to pay more in order to KEEP the same (good) thing.
It's not like Jim is locked in to a multi-year contract that he can't get out of, so it makes sense to pay more if it keeps him happy and more likely to stay in A2.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:41 AM ^
If someone is doing a great job you pay them more to show appreciation and to keep them. Thats the way life works. Do you think Michigan would be better with him gone?
Although it's ridiculous the amount of money these coaches make in sports, its the market.
The university is absolutely loaded with money flowing out their ass so they can afford to bump his salary.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:39 PM ^
Mel Tucker isn’t Michigan State’s coach. I know it was a below the radar story and didn’t get much media play, though, so I can understand how the article’s author missed it…
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:51 PM ^
Rich Rodriguez must rue the day he decided to leave West Virginia. Harbaugh should be at least #4 behind the coaches who won national championships. Ryan Day and Mel Tucker are high on that list solely because of their wins over Michigan.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:53 PM ^
Can't we please lock up Harbs.
Jim. The grass isn't always greener. Ask Nick.
On second thought don't, he'd send you a private jet to GTFO.
Cmon M. Make it happen. We are on Dynasty Doorstep.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:58 PM ^
So the top 10 guys on that list average a school buyout of $58.5MM.
And Harbaugh brings down that average significantly, given he's "only" at $27.25MM.
Truly incredible golden parachutes if you make it to the top of the CFB food chain.
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:58 PM ^
Surprised it took this far down to scroll to see a comment on the buyouts.
They are absolutely insane!
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:02 PM ^
Publicly funded institutions of secondary education, and the highest paid employees, by far, are sportsball coaches and players.
Imagine a professor of ancient languages being the highest paid employee of an NFL team. That's how absurd this is, we've just been slow-cooked like a frog into accepting it as normal.
I like college football. I hate how dumptrucks of money have changed it.
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:10 PM ^
Would love to see how much revenue the professor of ancient languages brings in for the Seahawks
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:33 PM ^
And therein lies the (or at least a) rub. Science/engineering/professional school professors also get paid way more than humanities professors because the former bring in grants and other sources of revenue to the university that the latter typically do not. There's also a lack of competition for the services of an ancient languages professor. Universities have to compete against companies and professional firms for the former, but who is offering the ancient languages professor more money to leave the U? Tenure is pretty awesome, though.
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:13 PM ^
It's a billion dollar industry. Reinvest it or pour it into something that doesn't correlate?
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:37 PM ^
Except football pays for itself. Professor of ancient languages do not.
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:06 PM ^
It doesn't?
Assuming students pay, say, $1,500 per course, how many students would a professor have to teach/year to cover their salary? To cover an $80,000 salary, that would only be 53 students per year (or 13 students per class). To cover a a $100,000 salary, that would only be 66 students per year (16 students per class). I'd say most professors pay for themselves, with a shit ton left over to cover administrative bloat, I mean, 'other expenses'.
That's just assuming $1500 tuition per course, which I think is basically the national average for in-state students. What is the cost per 3 credit hour course at UM?
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:25 PM ^
You could eliminate that particular degree track and suffer no financial loss. Ancient languages are not what is bringing in students.
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:39 PM ^
That wasn't your original point. You said those professors don't pay for themselves.
But ok, I agree that you could eliminate that particular degree track with no financial loss. But is that the kind of world you want to live in? Is there no redeeming value in having people know ancient greek or latin? We could probably carry your logic over to any foreign language, since they don't typically bring students in either. Would that be a good thing?
There is a social benefit to people learning ancient/foreign languages, literature and the classics, logic, political science, history, etc. Producing well-rounded individuals used to be the purpose/goal of the university, not dollars and cents.
Sorry, Sal. I'm not trying to argue with you. I appreciate your comments on the board. There's just too much anti-faculty bullshit going around my neck of the woods these days.
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:41 PM ^
You could eliminate that particular degree track and suffer no financial loss. Ancient languages are not what is bringing in students.
Right, so secondary education is only beneficial if it generates a profit for the school? Seriously?
You guys got, unsurprisingly, too hung up on the area of study I chose. Fine. Sportsball people being the highest paid employees of public universities makes the same amount of sense as Taylor Swift being the highest paid employee of an NFL franchise.
"Lions Hire Taylor Swift for $100,000,000 per year."
Seeing the absurdity now, or dodging into another rationalization?
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:35 PM ^
Except football pays for itself.
It does at a few schools. Not most of them. The University of Washington is jumping ship because their athletic department can't pay back the loan it got from the school to remodel its football stadium.
Besides, "because it makes money" doesn't make every situation okay.