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College Football Head Coach Salaries
Updated 7:05 AM UTC Oct 16, 2024
TOP CFB COACH PAY
Kirby Smart
Georgia
Total:$13,282,580
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 |
| 26 | P.J. Fleck | Minnesota | $6,700,000* | Big 10 | $6,700,000 | $1,450,000 | $150,000 | $23,302,500 |
| 27 | Pat Narduzzi | Pittsburgh | $6,699,551 | ACC | $6,699,551 | - | - | - |
| 28 | Marcus Freeman | Notre Dame | $6,687,754* | IndFBS | $6,687,754 | - | - | - |
| 29 | Bret Bielema | Illinois | $6,650,000 | Big 10 | $6,650,000 | $1,600,000 | $150,000 | $29,125,000 |
| 30 | Kyle Whittingham | Utah | $6,525,000* | Big 12 | $6,525,000 | $1,800,000 | $325,000 | $9,250,000 |
| 31 | Matt Rhule | Nebraska | $6,500,000 | Big 10 | $6,500,000 | $950,000 | $0 | $56,287,500 |
| 32 | Sam Pittman | Arkansas | $6,498,000* | SEC | $6,450,000 | $1,450,000 | $25,000 | - |
| 33 | Shane Beamer | South Carolina | $6,401,996 | SEC | $6,375,000 | $1,700,000 | $0 | $13,751,563 |
| 34 | Greg Schiano | Rutgers | $6,250,000* | Big 10 | $6,250,000 | $2,450,000 | $225,000 | $28,683,983 |
| 35 | Sherrone Moore | Michigan | $6,000,000* | Big 10 | $6,000,000 | $3,625,000 | - | $18,029,166 |
| 36 | Dave Doeren | North Carolina State | $5,965,377 | ACC | $5,965,377 | $1,350,000 | $250,000 | $15,709,416 |
| 37 | Mike Locksley | Maryland | $5,801,900 | Big 10 | $5,800,000 | $1,525,000 | $220,000 | $17,344,167 |
| 38 | Deion Sanders | Colorado | $5,700,000* | Big 12 | $5,700,000 | $2,450,000 | $250,000 | $14,081,250 |
| 39 | Jeff Brohm | Louisville | $5,631,057* | ACC | $5,631,057 | $2,000,000 | $900,000 | $39,325,000 |
| 40 | Chris Klieman | Kansas State | $5,250,000 | Big 12 | $5,250,000 | $1,550,000 | $75,000 | $29,625,000 |
| 41 | Sonny Dykes | TCU | $5,008,414 | Big 12 | $5,008,414 | - | - | - |
| 42 | Mack Brown | North Carolina | $5,000,000 | ACC | $4,300,000 | $1,000,000 | $125,000 | $2,812,500 |
| 43 | Dave Clawson | Wake Forest | $4,781,410 | ACC | $4,781,410 | - | - | - |
| 44 | Brent Pry | Virginia Tech | $4,775,000* | ACC | $4,750,000 | $475,000 | $75,000 | - |
| 45 | Justin Wilcox | California | $4,600,000* | ACC | $4,600,000 | $900,000 | $230,000 | $15,912,500 |
| 46 | Dave Aranda | Baylor | $4,540,885* | Big 12 | $4,540,885 | - | - | - |
| 47 | Willie Fritz | Houston | $4,500,000* | Big 12 | $4,500,000 | $1,500,000 | - | $19,000,000 |
| 48 | Tony Elliott | Virginia | $4,251,000* | ACC | $4,250,000 | $1,600,000 | $50,000 | $15,225,000 |
| 49 | Curt Cignetti | Indiana | $4,250,000* | Big 10 | $4,250,000 | $3,300,000 | - | $17,000,000 |
| 50 | Jeff Lebby | Mississippi State | $4,250,000* | SEC | $4,250,000 | $1,900,000 | - | $14,256,250 |
| 51 | Joey McGuire | Texas Tech | $4,247,960 | Big 12 | $4,204,960 | $1,000,000 | $110,000 | $12,934,091 |
| 52 | Ryan Walters | Purdue | $4,050,000 | Big 10 | $4,050,000 | $1,020,000 | $45,000 | $9,590,625 |
| 53 | Matt Campbell | Iowa State | $4,009,886* | Big 12 | $4,000,000 | $2,250,000 | $300,000 | $16,333,333 |
| 54 | Neal Brown | West Virginia | $4,000,000 | Big 12 | $4,000,000 | $1,300,000 | $180,000 | $9,775,000 |
| 55 | Gus Malzahn | UCF | $4,000,000* | Big 12 | $4,000,000 | $700,000 | $120,000 | $13,750,000 |
| 56 | Kenny Dillingham | Arizona State | $3,950,000 | Big 12 | $3,950,000 | $5,378,500 | $0 | $17,207,408 |
| 57 | Scott Satterfield | Cincinnati | $3,600,000 | Big 12 | $3,600,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 | $15,700,000 |
| 58 | DeShaun Foster | UCLA | $3,250,000* | Big 10 | $3,250,000 | $1,300,000 | - | $7,940,000 |
| 59 | Clark Lea | Vanderbilt | $3,189,744 | SEC | $3,189,744 | - | - | - |
| 60 | Brent Brennan | Arizona | $3,100,000* | Big 12 | $2,700,000 | $1,200,000 | - | $13,625,000 |
| 61 | Brent Key | Georgia Tech | $2,900,000 | ACC | $2,900,000 | $1,175,000 | $100,000 | $5,119,167 |
| 62 | Jake Dickert | Washington State | $2,550,000 | Pac-12 | $2,550,000 | $550,000 | $0 | $2,531,250 |
| 63 | Alex Golesh | South Florida | $2,503,099* | AAC | $2,500,000 | $1,255,000 | $50,000 | - |
| 64 | Jeff Traylor | UTSA | $2,500,000 | AAC | $2,500,000 | $500,000 | $75,000 | $12,667,500 |
| 65 | Mike Houston | East Carolina | $2,457,363 | AAC | $2,452,169 | $1,250,000 | $25,000 | $3,104,338 |
| 66 | Rhett Lashlee | SMU | $2,360,640 | ACC | $2,360,640 | - | - | - |
| 67 | Jeff Monken | Army West Point | $2,350,000* | AAC | $2,350,000 | $925,000 | $250,000 | $7,545,833 |
| 68 | Ryan Silverfield | Memphis | $2,200,000 | AAC | $2,200,000 | $500,000 | $210,000 | $6,140,000 |
| 69 | Trent Bray | Oregon State | $2,000,008 | Pac-12 | $2,000,008 | $1,075,000 | - | $5,100,017 |
| 70 | Stan Drayton | Temple | $1,888,979 | AAC | $1,888,979 | - | - | - |
| 71 | Jay Norvell | Colorado State | $1,800,000 | MWC | $1,800,000 | $975,000 | $0 | $2,500,000 |
| 72 | Brian Newberry | Navy | $1,800,000* | AAC | $1,800,000 | - | - | - |
| 73 | Sean Lewis | San Diego State | $1,753,100* | MWC | $1,753,100 | $730,000 | - | $5,478,438 |
| 74 | Barry Odom | UNLV | $1,750,000 | MWC | $1,750,000 | $445,000 | $75,000 | $6,156,666 |
| 75 | Jim Mora | Connecticut | $1,700,000 | IndFBS | $1,700,000 | $500,000 | $50,000 | $2,881,250 |
| 76 | Ken Niumatalolo | San Jose State | $1,500,000 | MWC | $1,500,000 | $835,000 | - | $6,262,500 |
| 77 | Trent Dilfer | UAB | $1,450,000 | AAC | $1,300,000 | $1,400,000 | $0 | $4,116,667 |
| 78 | Eric Morris | North Texas | $1,325,000* | AAC | $1,325,000 | $585,000 | $0 | $2,070,000 |
| 79 | Chuck Martin | Miami (OH) | $1,257,984* | MAC | $1,257,984 | $680,000 | $47,946 | $2,250,000 |
| 80 | Bronco Mendenhall | New Mexico | $1,200,000 | MWC | $1,200,000 | $545,000 | - | $4,800,000 |
| 81 | Spencer Danielson | Boise State | $1,135,008* | MWC | $1,135,008 | $508,002 | - | $3,972,525 |
| 82 | Jason Candle | Toledo | $1,125,000 | MAC | $1,125,000 | $1,100,000 | $455,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 83 | Jay Sawvel | Wyoming | $1,100,000 | MWC | $1,100,000 | $325,000 | - | $4,791,667 |
| 84 | Jeff Choate | Nevada | $1,075,000* | MWC | $1,075,000 | $475,000 | - | $3,500,000 |
| 85 | Rich Rodriguez | Jacksonville State | $1,056,000* | CUSA | $1,056,000 | $210,000 | $30,000 | $5,207,333 |
| 86 | Tim Beck | Coastal Carolina | $1,050,000* | SBC | $1,050,000 | $1,600,000 | $500,000 | $2,428,125 |
| 87 | Jim McElwain | Central Michigan | $1,048,493 | MAC | $1,048,493 | $560,000 | $0 | $1,800,000 |
| 88 | G.J. Kinne | Texas State | $1,002,000 | SBC | $1,000,000 | $867,500 | $75,000 | $4,041,667 |
| 89 | Sonny Cumbie | Louisiana Tech | $1,000,000 | CUSA | $1,000,000 | $1,060,000 | $0 | $1,625,000 |
| 90 | Derek Mason | Middle Tennessee | $1,000,000 | CUSA | $1,000,000 | $255,000 | - | $4,083,333 |
| 91 | Tom Herman | Florida Atlantic | $1,000,000* | AAC | $1,000,000 | $690,000 | $0 | $4,183,333 |
| 92 | Biff Poggi | Charlotte | $1,000,000 | AAC | $1,000,000 | $1,325,000 | $0 | $1,541,667 |
| 93 | Mike Bloomgren | Rice | $981,781 | AAC | $981,781 | - | - | - |
| 94 | Shawn Clark | Appalachian State | $950,020* | SBC | $950,020 | $605,000 | $170,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 95 | Tyson Helton | Western Kentucky | $927,180* | CUSA | $927,180 | $450,000 | $200,000 | $3,150,000 |
| 96 | Gerad Parker | Troy | $900,000 | SBC | $900,000 | $690,000 | - | $2,925,000 |
| 97 | Don Brown | Massachusetts | $882,586 | IndFBS | $882,586 | $950,000 | $0 | $800,000 |
| 98 | Dell McGee | Georgia State | $853,000 | SBC | $853,000 | $225,000 | - | $2,175,150 |
| 99 | Lance Taylor | Western Michigan | $850,000 | MAC | $850,000 | $789,000 | $0 | $2,358,750 |
| 100 | Ricky Rahne | Old Dominion | $845,941 | SBC | $845,941 | $415,000 | $25,000 | $1,321,783 |
| 101 | Major Applewhite | South Alabama | $825,000 | SBC | $825,000 | $325,000 | - | $2,333,333 |
| 102 | Butch Jones | Arkansas State | $825,000 | SBC | $825,000 | $442,500 | $25,000 | $1,041,667 |
| 103 | Will Hall | Southern Miss | $824,000 | SBC | $824,000 | $1,225,000 | $0 | $892,667 |
| 104 | Clay Helton | Georgia Southern | $805,000 | SBC | $805,000 | $920,000 | $25,000 | $1,910,313 |
| 105 | Scotty Walden | UTEP | $800,000* | CUSA | $800,000 | $259,616 | - | $2,041,667 |
| 106 | Michael Desormeaux | Louisiana | $772,800 | SBC | $772,800 | $930,000 | $25,000 | $903,500 |
| 107 | Nate Dreiling | Utah State | $766,668* | MWC | $766,668 | $680,000 | - | $91,667 |
| 108 | Bob Chesney | James Madison | $766,500* | SBC | $766,500 | $335,000 | - | $2,820,000 |
| 109 | Charles Huff | Marshall | $755,500 | SBC | $755,500 | $1,305,000 | $50,000 | $125,917 |
| 110 | Mike MacIntyre | FIU | $750,000 | CUSA | $750,000 | $650,000 | $70,000 | $1,140,625 |
| 111 | Pete Lembo | Buffalo | $732,500* | MAC | $732,500 | $340,000 | - | $2,041,667 |
| 112 | Tim Albin | Ohio | $709,330* | MAC | $709,030 | $292,259 | $40,150 | $1,894,052 |
| 113 | Thomas Hammock | Northern Illinois | $708,086* | MAC | $708,086 | $1,051,000 | $54,000 | $1,896,668 |
| 114 | Chris Creighton | Eastern Michigan | $707,500* | MAC | $707,500 | $500,000 | $85,000 | $1,500,000 |
| 115 | Timmy Chang | Hawaii | $705,008* | MWC | $700,008 | $1,340,000 | $0 | $456,521 |
| 116 | Mike Neu | Ball State | $705,000 | MAC | $700,000 | $425,000 | $23,500 | $550,000 |
| 117 | K.C. Keeler | Sam Houston | $625,000 | CUSA | $625,000 | $150,000 | $50,000 | $1,291,677 |
| 118 | Joe Moorhead | Akron | $620,000* | MAC | $620,000 | $620,000 | $0 | $982,813 |
| 119 | Bryant Vincent | ULM | $600,000* | SBC | $600,000 | $380,000 | - | - |
| 120 | Tony Sanchez | New Mexico State | $600,000 | CUSA | $600,000 | $225,000 | - | $2,450,000 |
| 121 | Scot Loeffler | Bowling Green | $582,000 | MAC | $580,000 | $190,000 | $32,500 | $767,000 |
| 122 | Kenni Burns | Kent State | $527,100 | MAC | $525,000 | $416,000 | - | $356,250 |
| 123 | Jamey Chadwell | Liberty | $479,629* | CUSA | $479,629 | - | - | - |
| 124 | Tim Skipper | Fresno State | $461,667* | MWC | $461,667 | $1,192,500 | - | $46,667 |
| 125 | Brian Bohannon | Kennesaw State | $376,000* | CUSA | $376,000 | $10,000 | - | $605,333 |
| 126 | Kevin Wilson | Tulsa | - | AAC | - | - | - | - |
| 127 | Manny Diaz | Duke | - | ACC | - | - | - | - |
| 128 | Bill O'Brien | Boston College | - | ACC | - | - | - | - |
| 129 | Kalani Sitake | BYU | - | Big 12 | - | - | - | - |
| 130 | Jon Sumrall | Tulane | - | AAC | - | - | - | - |
| 131 | Fran Brown | Syracuse | - | ACC | - | - | - | - |
| 132 | Troy Taylor | Stanford | - | ACC | - | - | - | - |
| 133 | David Braun | Northwestern | - | Big 10 | - | - | - | - |
| 134 | Troy Calhoun | Air Force | - | MWC | - | - | - | - |
The information below applies to the data obtained for the 2024 contract season: To see the methodology behind this data, click here.
Where the table does not display a number, it means the amount could not be obtained or it is $0.
"Buyout Owed" figures are the amount a school would owe coach if it fired him without cause on Dec. 1, 2024. Many of these amounts are expressly subject to coach's duty to make good-faith efforts to find another job, with income from that employment offsetting the amount owed. If mitigation and offset are not addressed in contract, coach still may have obligation to make efforts in that regard. The amount listed may be owed to coach over an extended period of time, rather than as a lump sum at termination. Amounts may take into account per-day pro-rating for a partial contract year.
Coaches' records are going into 2024 season, compiled from information displayed in NCAA statistics database – so they may be impacted by games vacated or forfeited by the NCAA or the schools.
"Record at school" data for Massachusetts’ Don Brown, North Carolina’s Mack Brown and Rutgers’ Greg Schiano are based on their current tenures at the schools.
CREDITS
By Steve Berkowitz, Sean Dougherty and Leo Wotzak; Robert Lattinville of WME, who represents college coaches and athletics directors as well as NCAA member schools.
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