Alabama's Nick Saban once again tops USA TODAY's list of top-paid college football coaches, but first-year Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is not far behind. USA TODAY's Brady, Berkowitz & Schnaars report the average compensation for college football coaches at the 128 FBS schools "is up" to just over $2M. That means the average compensation package since '06 "is up more than 110% -- and, even adjusting for inflation, has nearly doubled in a decade." The trend to "ever-richer contracts boils down to this: Schools frequently pay more, and sometimes much more, to retain a coach or to hire a new one" (USA TODAY, 10/9).
|
HIGHEST-PAID COACHES IN FBS
|
| SCHOOL |
COACH |
SCHOOL
PAY
|
OTHER
|
TOTAL
|
MAX
BONUS
|
BONUSES
'14-15
|
| Alabama |
Nick Saban |
$6,932,395
|
$155,086
|
$7,087,481
|
$700,000
|
$425,000
|
| Michigan |
Jim Harbaugh |
$7,004,000
|
NA
|
$7,004,000
|
NA
|
NA
|
| Ohio State |
Urban Meyer |
$5,860,000
|
$0
|
$5,860,000
|
$775,000
|
$400,000
|
| Oklahoma |
Bob Stoops |
$5,400,000
|
$0
|
$5,400,000
|
$834,000
|
$75,000
|
| Florida State |
Jimbo Fisher |
$5,150,000
|
$0
|
$5,150,000
|
$1,475,000
|
$500,000
|
| Texas |
Charlie Strong |
$5,100,000
|
$270
|
$5,100,270
|
$1,003,000
|
$25,000
|
| Texas A&M |
Kevin Sumlin |
$5,000,000
|
$0
|
$5,000,000
|
$1,350,000
|
$50,000
|
| Penn State |
James Franklin |
$4,400,000
|
NA
|
$4,400,000
|
$1,000,000
|
$200,000
|
| LSU |
Les Miles |
$4,300,000
|
$88,721
|
$4,388,721
|
$700,000
|
$100,000
|
| Ole Miss |
Hugh Freeze |
$4,300,000
|
$10,000
|
$4,310,000
|
$975,000
|
$125,000
|
| Baylor |
Art Briles |
$4,236,073
|
NA
|
$4,236,073
|
NA
|
NA
|
| Auburn |
Gus Malzahn |
$4,100,000
|
$4,500
|
$4,104,500
|
$1,400,000
|
$125,000
|
| Georgia |
Mark Richt |
$4,000,000
|
$124,000
|
$4,124,000
|
$1,800,000
|
$75,000
|
| Iowa |
Kirk Ferentz |
$4,075,000
|
$0
|
$4,075,000
|
$2,375,000
|
$25,000
|
| South Carolina |
Steve Spurrier |
$4,000,000
|
$28,600
|
$4,028,600
|
$1,700,000
|
$200,000
|
| Mississippi State |
Dan Mullen |
$4,000,000
|
$0
|
$4,000,000
|
$900,000
|
$390,000
|
| Florida |
Jim McElwain |
$3,983,359
|
NA
|
$3,983,359
|
$450,000
|
NA
|
| Arkansas |
Bret Bielema |
$3,954,166
|
$6,500
|
$3,960,666
|
$1,000,000
|
$100,000
|
| TCU |
Gary Patterson |
$3,940,026
|
NA
|
$3,940,026
|
NA
|
NA
|
| Missouri |
Gary Pinkel |
$3,768,889
|
$0
|
$3,768,889
|
$725,000
|
$900,000
|
| Michigan State |
Mark Dantonio |
$3,671,520
|
$0
|
$3,671,520
|
$650,000
|
$250,000
|
| Oklahoma State |
Mike Gundy |
$3,650,000
|
NA
|
$3,650,000
|
$550,000
|
$62,500
|
| Tennessee |
Butch Jones |
$3,610,000
|
$23,000
|
$3,633,000
|
$1,000,000
|
$300,000
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOTES: About 20 schools are private and do not release salaries. Any pay guaranteed by the school is listed as "school pay." Anything not guaranteed us listed as "other" pay.
