Who are the Top 10 highest paid head coaches in college football?
The job of a Power 5 head football coach is extremely arduous, especially in the age of NIL and the ever-growing transfer portal, as we’ve now seen several former head coaches leave their positions to take on coordinator positions due to the head-ache-inducing responsibilities.
However, for those who have stayed for the challenge, you can’t say they haven’t been well compensated, making the average American’s household income look like child’s play. Look, that’s just a fact, and like CEOs of Fortune 100 companies, every individual who holds top rank receives most of the profit because, at the end of the day, they receive the blame for anything that goes wrong within the organization.
Sticking with college football, the retirement of former Alabama head coach Nick Saban, one of the few coaching G.O.A.Ts in football history, has shifted the salary rankings. Still, for die-hard CFB fans who know their stuff, the top 5 highest-paid head coaches won’t be surprising reveal.
For Texas A&M, paying off Jimbo Fisher’s salary for the next decade certainly stings, but at least new head coach Mike Elko’s salary ($7 million per year) is a bargain for now!
Here are the Top 10 highest-paid head coaches in college football entering the 2024 season, courtesy of 247Sports’ Grant Hughes.
Mark Stoops — Kentucky (tied for 9th)
Record at Kentucky: 73-65
2024 salary: $9 million
After almost losing Stoops to Texas A&M in one of the weirdest botched transactions in program history, Stoops may be the only coach to elevate a basketball school’s football expectations yearly.
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Josh Heupel — Tennessee (tied for 9th)
Record at Tennessee: 27-12
2024 salary: $9 million
Underpaid? Not yet, but Heupel’s complex offense has yet to yield the national championship results he was brought in to accomplish, but the Volunteers are close.
Get more Tennessee Volunteers news, analysis, and opinions on VolsWire
Eli Drinkwitz — Missouri (tied for 9th)
Record at Missouri: 28-21
2024 salary: $9 million
Coming off an 11-2 season, including a Cotton Bowl victory THE Ohio State, Drinkwitz and his high-flying offense, paired with impressive recruiting chops, is worth every penny.
Lane Kiffin — Ole Miss (tied for 9th)
Record at Ole Miss: 34-15
2024 salary: $9 million
Look, Lane Kiffin may be one of the goofiest human beings on the planet, but this man can coach, and Texas A&M fans know firsthand what it’s like to lose to this man year after year. In 2024, Ole Miss is a legitimate Playoff contender with realistic championship hopes.
Brian Kelly — LSU
Record at LSU: 20-7
2024 salary: $9.9 million
Brian Kelly may have developed a fake accent during his first three years at LSU, but just like Lane Kiffin, no one doubts his ability to build a championship roster consistently. However, losing Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels to the 2024 NFL Draft will be interesting to watch.
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Mike Norvell — Florida State
Record at Florida State: 31-17
2024 salary: $10 million
After years of missing on several coaching hires, Florida State has found its man in Mike Norvell, rebuilding the once prestigious blue blood back to form, finishing the 2023 regular season 13-0 after dealing with several key injuries. The Noles are in good hands under Norvell.
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Lincoln Riley — USC (tied for 5th)
Record at USC: 19-8
2024 salary: $10 million
Lincoln Riley is the quarterback whisperer in the college football ranks with three Heisman-winning QBS under his belt, and after years of fielding horrible defenses, he finally fired former defensive coordinator and close friend Alex Grinch, so there’s that.
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Kalen DeBoer — Alabama (tied for 5th)
Record at Alabama: 0-0
2024 salary: $10 million
After going 25-3 in just two seasons at Washington, including a trip to the CFB National Championship game last season, he became a hot coaching commodity, becoming Nick Saban’s successor after 17 years at the helm. Good luck!
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Ryan Day — Ohio State
Record at Ohio State: 56-8
2024 salary: $10.2 million
This man has only lost 8 games in five seasons with the Buckeyes and due to his inability to beat Michigan, some fans wanted a change. That’s college football in a nutshell.
Get more Ohio State news, analysis, and opinions on BuckeyesWire
Steve Sarkisian — Texas
Record at Texas: 25-14
2024 salary: $10.3 million
Steve Sarkisian received a monster contract after taking the Longhorns to the CFB Playoff Semifinals last season. The pressure is on.
Get more Texas Longhorns news, analysis, and opinions on LonghornsWire
Kirby Smart — Georgia
Record at Georgia: 94-16
2024 salary: $10.7 million
With Nick Saban headed for the ESPN booth, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, who has now won two national titles in eight seasons at the helm, is now the best head coach in the SEC until further notice, and the salary fits.
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Dabo Swinney — Clemson
Record at Clemson: 170-43
2024 salary: $11.5 million
With two national titles under his belt, including sixteen consecutive bowl game appearances, NIL and the transfer portal have hindered the Tigers’ once dominant stretch, and recruiting at an extremely high-level year after year has slowed down in recent years. How much better can Clemson get under Swinney? Time will tell.
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