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Who are the top 10 highest-paid college football coaches in 2025? Ready the complete NCAA college salary leaders after Ryan Day's contract extension.
10. Mark Stoops, Kentucky
Average Base Salary: $9 Million
Mark Stoops is the most surprising coach on this list, but it’s important to view his 67-73 overall record with some context. The 57-year-old led Kentucky to a school record eight consecutive bowl games from 2016 to 2023 before a disastrous 2024 campaign. Kentucky’s program doesn’t have the ceiling to compete for a national title, but if the 12-team playoff era was around in 2018 and 2021, he likely would have qualified. Overall, he’s done a tremendous job for the Wildcats.
9. Brian Kelly, LSU
Average Base Salary: $9.9 Million
Before Brian Kelly took over the LSU program, he already had a whopping 263 victories on his resume as a head coach across 32 seasons at four different schools. Kelly is one of the winningest college football coaches ever, but the Tiger faithful expect to compete for a national championship every season. He better make that happen quickly, or he could be a free agent this time next year.
t-6. Bill Belichick, North Carolina
Average Base Salary: $10 Million
The shocking hire of the offseason was North Carolina roping in six-time Super Bowl Champion head coach Bill Belichick. The longtime Patriots head man could not land another NFL job over the last two offseasons, so he’s looking to give the college game a try. By no surprise, he signed a lucrative deal to lead the Tar Heels.
t-6. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
Average Base Salary: $10 Million
Kalen DeBoer was reportedly Alabama’s No. 1 choice to replace the greatest college football coach of all time, Nick Saban. DeBoer came to Tuscaloosa with an impressive 104-12 record between his time with Sioux Falls, Fresno State, and Washington. Winning in the SEC and at a program that demands excellence is a whole new challenge, and the heat is already on him after a 9-4 debut season with the Tide.
t-6. Mike Norvell, Florida State
Average Base Salary: $10 Million
After an 8-13 start in his first two seasons at Florida State, Mike Norvell righted the ship and won 23 of his 27 games over the next two years. The former Memphis head coach looked to be entering elite territory after leading the Noles to an undefeated regular season in 2023, but then 2024 happened. Florida State went 2-10 last season, with its only wins coming against California and Charleston Southern. Needless to say, he better put on a coaching masterclass in 2025.
5. Lincoln Riley, USC
Average Base Salary: $10.04 Million
Speaking of coaches who were once close to elite status, enter Lincoln Riley. The 41-year-old was handpicked to replace longtime Sooners’ coach Bob Stoops at Oklahoma and compiled a 55-10 record with four consecutive Big 12 titles. However, he departed for USC entering the 2022 campaign, and the Trojans have regressed in each of his three seasons at the helm. Riley is known for his work with quarterbacks Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, and Caleb Williams, but the pressure is on him to turn the program around in the new Big Ten.
4. Steve Sarkisian, Texas
Average Base Salary: $10.6 Million
After Steve Sarkisian departed the USC program due to health and wellness concerns in 2015, it looked like his head-coaching career could be over. But now, he’s viewed as one of the nation’s elite coaches after leading Texas to College Football Playoff Semifinals games in each of the last two seasons. The Long Horns are knocking on the door of a National Championship, and as one of the country’s highest-paid coaches, that’s the expectation in Austin with quarterback Arch Manning.
3. Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Average Base Salary: $11.1 Million
There are claims out there that Dabo Swinney has “fallen off” after his most recent College Football Playoff National Championship Game appearance in 2019. However, he has captured three more ACC Championships since then, and he led the Tigers to another playoff trip in 2024 and hung in there with Texas in Round 1. Overall, Swinney has nine ACC titles, two national titles, and six playoff wins on his resume. He deserves what he earns!
2. Ryan Day, Ohio State
Average Base Salary: $12.5 Million
Following Ohio State’s impressive wins over Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame, Ryan Day rebuilt his reputation as one of the best coaches in America, and the Buckeyes rewarded him this week with a nice pay raise. Day now sits at 70-10 with three Big Ten titles and a national title through six full seasons at the helm.
1. Kirby Smart, Georgia
Average Base Salary: $13.2 Million
Everyone knows the deal with Kirby Smart. The 49-year-old’s first head-coaching opportunity came at his Alma Mater in 2016, and he has elevated the Georgia program from “good” to “elite.” Smart has captured six SEC East titles, three SEC titles, and two national titles in just nine seasons with the Bulldogs after a run as Nick Saban’s defensive coordinator at Alabama. As he should be, he’s the nation’s highest-paid head coach.
