Report: Steve Sarkisian is the third highest-paid coach in college football in 2024
USA Today updated its college football head coach salaries database on Wednesday, and Steve Sarkisian was listed as one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport. Sarkisian’s total pay this year according to the database is $10.6 million, ranking third behind Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney‘s $11.1 million and Georgia head Kirby Smart‘s $13.28 million.
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Sarkisian agreed to a new deal with Texas in January that gave him a significant pay raise. He was due to make $5.8 million this season ahead of the bump up in salary. His new salary after signing the contract was $10.3 million for the 2024 campaign, plus a one-time payment of $300,000 that was due on or before April 1 to get to USA Today’s $10.6 million.
Sarkisian is set to make $10.4 million in 2025, and his salary will increase each year by $100,000 through the life of the contract. He is signed through the 2030 season.
Sarkisian can make up to $1.85 million in bonuses in 2024. Should Texas for some reason elect to fire Sarkisian without cause, the school would owe him $55,044,583 as of December 1.
SEC head coaches made up 15 of the top 50 2024 salaries, with Smart, Sarkisian, Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer, LSU’s Brian Kelly, Kentucky’s Mark Stoops, Ole Miss’s Lane Kiffin, Missouri’s Eliah Drinkwitz, and Tennessee’s Josh Heupel all making $9 million or more this year.
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Among coaches in the state of Texas, Sarkisian leads the way.
Behind him is Texas A&M’s Mike Elko, who is set to make $7 million in 2024. TCU’s Sonny Dykes was third at $5 million. Baylor’s Dave Aranda followed at $4.54 million. Willie Fritz at Houston is making $4.5 million this year. Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire‘s 2024 compensation is $4.2 million.
Former Longhorn head coach Mack Brown makes $5 million this year, good for No. 42 in the nation. Fellow ex-leader of the Longhorns Tom Herman is set to make $1 million this year at Florida Atlantic.
One-time Longhorn assistant coach Jeff Choate is due to make $1.07 million this year at Nevada, while UTSA’s Jeff Traylor is scheduled to make $2.5 million. Stan Drayton‘s compensation at Temple this year is $1.89 million. Compensation info for Manny Diaz at Duke was not available.
Major Applewhite, the only ex-Longhorn player in the FBS head coaching ranks, is due $825,000 at South Alabama.
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Top 10 highest paid head coaches in 2024, per USA Today
- Kirby Smart, Georgia – $13,282,580
- Dabo Swinney, Clemson – $11,132,775
- Steve Sarkisian, Texas – $10,600,000
- Lincoln Riley, USC – $10,043,418
- Ryan Day, Ohio State – $10,021,250
- Mike Norvell, Florida State/Kalen DeBoer, Alabama – $10,000,000
- Brian Kelly, LSU – $9,975,000
- Mark Stoops, Kentucky – $9,013,600
- Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss/Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri/Josh Heupel, Tennessee – $9,000,000
- James Franklin, Penn State – $8,500,000
