On Thursday, USA Today published a report which shows the total pay for each NCAA football coach and there are some surprises.
As you can see below, Nick Saban (Alabama) is the highest-paid college football coach as he is receiving a total pay of $9,5000,000.
Some of you may be surprised to see that Jim Harbaugh (Michigan) is all the way down at No. 32 on the list after he took a pay cut prior to the 2021 season. Harbaugh is the 11th highest-paid coach in the Big Ten.
Michigan State’s Mel Tucker comes in at No. 13 on the list (3rd highest paid in the Big Ten).
|
Rank
|
Coach
|
School
|
Total Pay
|
Conf.
|
Scheduled School Pay
|
Contract Year Pandemic Reduction
|
Actual School Pay
|
Total Pandemic Reduction
|
School Buyout
as of 12/1/2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Saban | Alabama | $9,753,221* | SEC | $9,500,000 | $0* | $9,500,000 | $0* | $38,400,000 |
| 2 | Ed Orgeron | Louisiana State | $9,012,917* | SEC | $8,687,500 | $300,000* | $8,387,500 | $300,000* | $17,150,000 |
| 3 | David Shaw | Stanford | $8,924,683* | Pac-12 | $8,924,683 | $0* | $8,924,683 | $0* | — |
| 4 | Dabo Swinney | Clemson | $8,370,775* | ACC | $9,508,575 | $1,250,000* | $8,258,575 | $1,250,000* | $47,500,000 |
| 5 | Lincoln Riley | Oklahoma | $7,672,710* | Big 12 | $7,857,293 | $214,583* | $7,642,710 | $515,000* | $25,188,000 |
| 6 | Dan Mullen | Florida | $7,570,000* | SEC | $7,570,000 | $0* | $7,570,000 | $0* | $12,000,000 |
| 7 | Jimbo Fisher | Texas A&M | $7,500,000* | SEC | $7,500,000 | $0* | $7,500,000 | $0* | $95,575,000 |
| 8 | Kirby Smart | Georgia | $7,133,600 | SEC | $7,003,600 | — | $7,003,600 | — | $14,614,167 |
| 9 | Ryan Day | Ohio State | $6,614,693* | Big Ten | $6,750,000 | $135,307* | $6,614,693 | $236,877* | $28,416,668 |
| 10 | Gary Patterson | Texas Christian | $6,103,543 | Big 12 | $6,103,543 | — | $6,103,543 | — | — |
| 11 | Pat Fitzgerald | Northwestern | $5,748,179 | Big Ten | $5,748,179 | — | $5,748,179 | — | — |
| 12 | Chip Kelly | UCLA | $5,600,000* | Pac-12 | $5,600,000 | $0* | $5,600,000 | $0* | $9,000,000 |
| 13 | Mel Tucker | Michigan State | $5,566,303* | Big Ten | $5,632,553 | $166,250* | $5,466,303 | $266,000* | $19,284,375 |
| 14 | Steve Sarkisian | Texas | $5,450,000* | Big 12 | $5,450,000 | $0* | $5,450,000 | $0* | $20,603,333 |
| 15 | Mark Stoops | Kentucky | $5,263,600 | SEC | $5,250,000 | — | $5,250,000 | — | $19,921,875 |
| 16 | Kyle Whittingham | Utah | $5,200,000* | Pac-12 | $5,200,000 | $0* | $5,200,000 | $365,822* | $18,250,000 |
| 17 | Scott Frost | Nebraska | $5,000,000* | Big Ten | $5,000,000 | $0* | $5,000,000 | $166,667* | $20,416,667 |
| 19 | Bryan Harsin | Auburn | $5,000,000 | SEC | $5,000,000 | — | $5,000,000 | — | $17,791,667 |
| 18 | Kirk Ferentz | Iowa | $5,000,000* | Big Ten | $5,000,000 | $0* | $5,000,000 | $100,000* | $16,503,333 |
| 20 | Mike Leach | Mississippi State | $5,000,000* | SEC | $5,000,000 | $0* | $5,000,000 | $0* | — |
| 21 | Lane Kiffin | Mississippi | $4,841,937* | SEC | $5,000,000 | $158,063* | $4,841,937 | $293,813* | — |
| 22 | Pat Narduzzi | Pittsburgh | $4,816,806 | ACC | $4,816,806 | — | $4,816,806 | — | — |
| 23 | Clay Helton | Southern California | $4,813,832* | Pac-12 | $4,813,832 | $0* | $4,813,832 | $0* | — |
| 24 | P.J. Fleck | Minnesota | $4,420,000* | Big Ten | $4,650,000 | $230,000* | $4,420,000 | $548,320* | $15,851,875 |
| 25 | Jeff Brohm | Purdue | $4,417,774* | Big Ten | $5,000,000 | $582,226* | $4,417,774 | $873,340* | $18,966,667 |
| 26 | Mario Cristobal | Oregon | $4,402,917* | Pac-12 | $4,600,000 | $197,083* | $4,402,917 | $360,208* | $15,030,000 |
| 27 | Paul Chryst | Wisconsin | $4,362,750* | Big Ten | $4,650,000 | $321,250* | $4,328,750 | $751,250* | $19,103,724 |
| 28 | Tom Allen | Indiana | $4,260,000* | Big Ten | $4,310,000 | $50,000* | $4,260,000 | $50,000* | $30,000,000 |
| 29 | Bronco Mendenhall | Virginia | $4,251,500* | ACC | $4,250,000 | $0* | $4,250,000 | $264,794* | $13,281,250 |
| 30 | Mike Gundy | Oklahoma State | $4,203,125* | Big 12 | $4,375,000 | $171,875* | $4,203,125 | $263,021* | $7,119,792 |
| 31 | Bret Bielema | Illinois | $4,200,000 | Big Ten | $4,200,000 | — | $4,200,000 | — | $15,138,425 |
| 32 | Jim Harbaugh | Michigan | $4,030,901* | Big Ten | $4,000,000 | $0* | $4,000,000 | $264,687* | $4,444,444 |
| 37 | Matt Campbell | Iowa State | $4,000,000* | Big 12 | $4,000,000 | $0* | $4,000,000 | $248,562* | $28,333,333 |
| 35 | Josh Heupel | Tennessee | $4,000,000* | SEC | $4,000,000 | $0* | $4,000,000 | $0* | $20,666,667 |
| 34 | Greg Schiano | Rutgers | $4,000,000* | Big Ten | $4,000,000 | $0* | $4,000,000 | $266,664* | $19,218,750 |
| 36 | Eliah Drinkwitz | Missouri | $4,000,000* | SEC | $4,000,000 | $0* | $4,000,000 | $100,000* | $11,550,000 |
| 33 | Dana Holgorsen | Houston | $4,000,000* | AAC | $4,000,000 | $0* | $4,000,000 | $190,000* | $5,431,250 |
| 38 | Herm Edwards | Arizona State | $3,886,500 | Pac-12 | $3,700,000 | — | $3,700,000 | — | $11,408,333 |
| 39 | Justin Fuente | Virginia Tech | $3,825,000* | ACC | $4,250,000 | $425,000* | $3,825,000 | $425,000* | $10,000,000 |
| 40 | Mike Norvell | Florida State | $3,750,000* | ACC | $4,250,000 | $500,000* | $3,750,000 | $968,750* | $16,220,833 |
| 41 | Dave Clawson | Wake Forest | $3,611,071 | ACC | $3,611,071 | — | $3,611,071 | — | — |
| 42 | Dino Babers | Syracuse | $3,504,958 | ACC | $3,504,958 | — | $3,504,958 | — | — |
| 43 | Justin Wilcox | California | $3,444,996* | Pac-12 | $3,600,000 | $155,004* | $3,444,996 | $228,756* | $16,158,333 |
| 44 | Mack Brown | North Carolina | $3,431,250* | ACC | $2,800,000 | $68,750* | $2,731,250 | $112,500* | $2,406,250 |
| 45 | Luke Fickell | Cincinnati | $3,400,000* | AAC | $3,400,000 | $0* | $3,400,000 | $85,000* | $20,400,000 |
| 46 | Karl Dorrell | Colorado | $3,240,000* | Pac-12 | $3,400,000 | $160,000* | $3,240,000 | $320,000* | $14,800,000 |
| 47 | Dave Doeren | NC State | $3,180,000* | ACC | $3,500,000 | $325,000* | $3,175,000 | $460,417* | $7,656,250 |
| 48 | Scott Satterfield | Louisville | $3,087,500 | ACC | $3,250,000 | $162,500 | $3,087,500 | $325,000 | $7,515,625 |
| 49 | Jimmy Lake | Washington | $3,040,972* | Pac-12 | $3,100,000 | $59,028* | $3,040,972 | $92,088* | $10,416,667 |
| 50 | Matt Wells | Texas Tech | $3,034,083* | Big 12 | $3,100,000 | $65,917* | $3,034,083 | $193,083* | $7,099,601 |
