College Football Head Coach Salaries: USA Today ranks Top 25 highest-paid coaches
The Top 25 college football head coach salaries were listed by USA Today and these leaders and certainly reeling in the dough.
Deserved? In a lot of cases yes based on what they’re doing on the field and how they operate. Some of the names on the list could surprise you.
Let’s dive into USA Today’s list of the top 25 highest paid coaches in college football.
1. Kirby Smart, Georgia
Total pay: $13,282,580
Smart is the highest paid coach for a reason. He’s won two national championships and his Georgia team is in position to return to the College Football Playoff and compete for a third.
2. Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Total pay: $11,132,775
Swinney’s Clemson team turned it around after a season opening loss and the two-time national champion head coach might be earning his paycheck this year. Despite the criticisms of him lately, Swinney is proving he’s still one of the best in the game.
3. Steve Sarkisian, Texas
Total pay: $10,600,000
Sarkisian hit the ground running at Texas and once he found his footing, the Longhorns were “back.” Recruiting, transfer portal, QB development, you name it. All that remains is winning a national title and this could be the year.
4. Lincoln Riley, USC
Total pay: $10,043,418
Riley commanded a lot of money from USC when they pried him away from Oklahoma. There’s been some highlights, but no CFP appearances with the Trojans and that might be a pipe dream this year.
5. Ryan Day, Ohio State
Total pay: $10,021,250
The Ohio State head coach gets a lot of flak for recent losses to Michigan and coming up just short of a title a couple of years ago. Still, Day is a winner, sporting a 61-9 record, but has to win the big one.
6. Mike Norvell, Florida State
Total pay: $10,000,000
Norvell commanded a lot of money from the Seminoles and had a great run from 2022-23. But this year’s been a disaster, going 1-5 through the first half. You have to give him the benefit of the doubt to turn it around for 2025 though.
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7. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
Total pay: $10,000,000
DeBoer’s Alabama squad is 5-1 through the first half of the season. Coming off a national title run at Washington, there’s a lot to like. But of course, despite winning everywhere, DeBoer is at the ultimate pressure cooker with the Crimson Tide.
8. Brian Kelly, LSU
Total pay: $9,975,000
It may not seem like it, but do you know that Kelly won 10 games in each of his first two seasons at LSU? Yes, it was 10-4 and 10-3, so there were extra opportunities. But the Year 3 bump could be real as Kelly is 5-1 this year and could get over the hump that was in his way at Notre Dame.
9. Mark Stoops, Kentucky
Total pay: $9,013,600
Stoops has been at Kentucky since 2013 and he’s been solid. Not great, but very solid for the program with two 10-win seasons. But this year, the Wildcats are just 3-3, a similar trajectory of the last two years.
10. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
Total pay: $9,000,000
Could Kiffin command more money this offseason from Ole Miss or heck, even Florida? That’s the hot rumor of course. Kiffin’s been really good at Ole Miss, but he’s another coach that needs to get over the hump and get to the College Football Playoff.
Top 25 highest paid coaches
The full salaries, bonuses and more can be seen below.
11. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri; $9,000,000
12. Josh Heupel, Tennessee; $9,000,000
13. James Franklin, Penn State; $8,500,000
14. Dan Lanning, Oregon; $8,200,000
15. Brent Venables, Oklahoma; $8,152,000
16. Mario Cristobal, Miami; $7,83,059
17. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State; $7,750,000
18. Luke Fickell, Wisconsin; $7,725,000
19. Jedd Fisch, Washington; $7,700,023
20. Lance Leipold, Kansas; $7,500,000
21. Billy Napier, Florida; $7,370,000
22. Jonathan Smith, Michigan State; $7,250,000
23. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa; $7,000,000
24. Mike Elko, Texas A&M; $7,000,000
25. Hugh Freeze, Auburn; $6,728,100
| Rank | Coach | School | Total Pay | Conf. | School Pay | Maximum Bonus | Bonuses Paid (2023-24) | School Buyout as of 12/1/2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kirby Smart | Georgia | $13,282,580 | SEC | $13,003,000 | $1,775,000 | $275,000 | $118,083,333 |
| 2 | Dabo Swinney | Clemson | $11,132,775* | ACC | $11,008,575 | $1,500,000 | $175,000 | $60,000,000 |
| 3 | Steve Sarkisian | Texas | $10,600,000* | SEC | $10,600,000 | $1,850,000 | $300,000 | $55,044,583 |
| 4 | Lincoln Riley | USC | $10,043,418* | Big 10 | $10,043,418 | – | – | – |
| 5 | Ryan Day | Ohio State | $10,021,250 | Big 10 | $9,946,250 | $1,550,000 | $250,000 | $37,276,042 |
| 6 | Mike Norvell | Florida State | $10,000,000 | ACC | $10,000,000 | $1,550,000 | $750,000 | $63,778,333 |
| 7 | Kalen DeBoer | Alabama | $10,000,000* | SEC | $10,000,000 | $1,175,000 | – | $70,050,000 |
| 8 | Brian Kelly | LSU | $9,975,000* | SEC | $9,975,000 | $1,325,000 | $100,000 | $61,738,333 |
| 9 | Mark Stoops | Kentucky | $9,013,600* | SEC | $9,000,000 | $3,550,000 | $200,000 | $44,437,500 |
| 10 | Lane Kiffin | Ole Miss | $9,000,000* | SEC | $9,000,000 | $2,600,000 | $800,000 | $36,590,000 |
| 11 | Eliah Drinkwitz | Missouri | $9,000,000 | SEC | $9,000,000 | $1,300,000 | $425,000 | $28,312,500 |
| 12 | Josh Heupel | Tennessee | $9,000,000 | SEC | $9,000,000 | $1,700,000 | $200,000 | $37,500,000 |
| 13 | James Franklin | Penn State | $8,500,000* | Big 10 | $8,500,000 | $1,400,000 | $300,000 | $56,666,667 |
| 14 | Dan Lanning | Oregon | $8,200,000 | Big 10 | $8,200,000 | $1,875,000 | $450,000 | $45,366,667 |
| 15 | Brent Venables | Oklahoma | $8,152,000 | SEC | $8,150,000 | $1,385,000 | $25,000 | $44,808,333 |
| 16 | Mario Cristobal | Miami (FL) | $7,783,059* | ACC | $7,783,059 | – | – | – |
| 17 | Mike Gundy | Oklahoma State | $7,750,000* | Big 12 | $7,750,000 | $1,000,000 | $125,000 | $25,359,375 |
| 18 | Luke Fickell | Wisconsin | $7,725,000 | Big 10 | $7,725,000 | $1,450,000 | $0 | $40,186,667 |
| 19 | Jedd Fisch | Washington | $7,700,023* | Big 10 | $7,700,023 | $1,550,000 | – | $40,239,960 |
| 20 | Lance Leipold | Kansas | $7,500,000* | Big 12 | $7,500,000 | $1,125,000 | $275,000 | $27,800,000 |
| 21 | Billy Napier | Florida | $7,370,000 | SEC | $7,120,000 | $1,600,000 | $100,000 | $26,704,167 |
| 22 | Jonathan Smith | Michigan State | $7,250,000* | Big 10 | $7,250,000 | $1,785,000 | – | $39,787,083 |
| 23 | Kirk Ferentz | Iowa | $7,000,000* | Big 10 | $7,000,000 | $2,500,000 | $575,000 | $31,000,000 |
| 24 | Mike Elko | Texas A&M | $7,000,000* | SEC | $7,000,000 | $3,800,000 | – | $27,124,985 |
| 25 | Hugh Freeze | Auburn | $6,728,100 | SEC | $6,725,000 | $3,300,000 | $300,000 | $20,312,500 |