Top 10 Highest-Paid College Football Coaches In 2025

Football is a lucrative sport. If you take a quick look at the NFL payroll, you’ll see that the players are among the highest-paid athletes in the world. Naturally, some of this financial weight extends to the sidelines: if players command massive contracts, elite coaches also expect, and often receive, a significant share.

Now, with how massive a sport football is in the U.S., it’s not just the pro level that attracts big money. College football is also a major deal. In the United States, college football isn’t just a game; it’s a billion-dollar industry with massive fan bases, packed stadiums, and TV deals that rival pro sports. With so much at stake, it’s no surprise that the top college coaches are also earning salaries that might make even some NFL coaches raise an eyebrow.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of these college football coaches. We’ll briefly outline the top 10 highest-paid college football coaches in 2025, highlighting their contracts, career achievements, and recent successes over the years. Let’s dive right in.

1. Kirby Smart (Georgia – $13 million)

At the very top of the list sits Kirby Smart, the man who turned Georgia into the most feared program in college football. Since taking over in 2016, Smart has led the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, ending a four-decade drought in Athens.

His dominance was especially impressive in 2022, when Georgia capped off a perfect 15-0 season with a jaw-dropping 65-7 victory over TCU in the title game. With success like that, it’s no surprise Georgia rewarded him with a 10-year, $130 million deal that runs through 2033.

So, at an average of about $13 million a year, Smart is the highest-paid coach in college football presently. And given his record in the SEC, only a few would argue that he isn’t worth every penny.

2. Ryan Day (Ohio State – $12.5 million)

Just behind Smart is Ryan Day of Ohio State, who pockets $12.5 million a year under a contract that keeps him in Columbus through 2031. Day has compiled an eye-popping record of 70-10 since stepping in as head coach, and in 2024, he delivered the ultimate prize: a national championship. That title was especially sweet for Buckeye fans after a frustrating stretch of losses to bitter rival Michigan.

3. Curt Cignetti (Indiana – $11.6 million)

Curt Cignetti’s meteoric rise through the coaching ranks has been nothing short of remarkable. Known for transforming underdog programs into legitimate contenders, Cignetti has brought that same magic touch to Indiana. Since arriving in 2024, he’s completely changed the culture of Hoosier football—taking a team long considered an afterthought in the Big Ten and turning it into a national powerhouse almost overnight.

In his very first season, Cignetti guided Indiana to its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, an achievement that instantly rewrote the program’s history books. Under his leadership, the Hoosiers went 11–2, defeated defending national champions Michigan, and secured a top-10 national ranking. The following year, they’ve continued to build on that success, with another strong start that has Indiana once again in the playoff conversation.

That kind of turnaround doesn’t go unnoticed, or unrewarded. In 2025, Indiana signed Cignetti to a new eight-year, $93 million deal, averaging around $11.6 million per year, placing him among the highest-paid coaches in college football.

4. Lincoln Riley (USC – $11.5 million)

When USC lured Riley from Oklahoma in 2022, it wasn’t just a coaching hire; it was a statement of intent. The Trojans wanted to restore their proud football legacy, and they turned to one of the brightest offensive minds in the game to make it happen.

Riley’s track record speaks volumes. During his five-year run at Oklahoma, he guided the Sooners to four straight Big 12 titles and produced a conveyor belt of elite quarterbacks, including Heisman winners Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Caleb Williams.

At USC, Riley has faced the challenge of bringing a once-dominant program back to national relevance, now as a member of the Big Ten Conference. While the road hasn’t been without bumps, the Trojans have rediscovered their swagger under his leadership, fielding high-powered offenses and reclaiming their place in national conversations. The university’s faith in Riley is reflected in his $11.5 million annual salary, which makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in the country.

5. Dabo Swinney (Clemson – $11.3 million)

Dabo Swinney has been a fixture at Clemson for over a decade, and his résumé speaks volumes: two national championships, nine ACC titles, and a reputation for building one of the sport’s most consistent contenders. His 10-year, $115 million deal, signed in 2022, averages out to roughly $11.3 million a year, keeping him comfortably in the top three among college coaches.

Swinney’s ability to recruit and develop elite quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence has been central to Clemson’s rise from a regional program into a national powerhouse. Though recent years haven’t brought another title, Clemson’s willingness to invest heavily in Swinney shows their trust and loyalty to the man who transformed their program and confidence that he can guide them back to the mountaintop.

6. Steve Sarkisian (Texas – $10.8 million)

For nearly two decades, the Texas Longhorns have been chasing a return to national glory, and Steve Sarkisian seems to be the man finally leading them there. Hired in 2021, the former BYU quarterback and seasoned offensive strategist has methodically rebuilt Texas from a struggling 5-7 team into a College Football Playoff contender. His success has earned him a $10.8 million annual salary, a reflection of his achievements and the high expectations placed upon him in Austin.

Since joining Texas, Sarkisian’s impact has been transformative. After enduring early challenges in his debut season, he guided the Longhorns to an 8-5 record in 2022, a Big 12 Championship in 2023, and back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024. His 2024 campaign saw Texas finish 11-1 in the regular season before advancing to the SEC Championship Game and earning another playoff berth.

7. Dan Lanning (Oregon – $10.4 million)

At just 39 years old, Dan Lanning has quickly established himself as one of the brightest young minds in college football, and one of the sport’s highest-paid coaches. Now in his fourth season at Oregon, Lanning has turned the Ducks into perennial national title contenders, and is earning $10.4 million annually.

Since taking over in 2021, Lanning has built Oregon into a powerhouse. After guiding the Ducks to a 9-3 record in his debut season, he followed it up with an 11-win campaign in 2023 capped by a dominant Fiesta Bowl victory.

In the 2024 season, Oregon went a perfect 12-0 in the regular season, defeated Penn State to win the Big Ten Championship, and earned the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff, their first since joining the Big Ten. Though their playoff run ended with a quarterfinal loss to Ohio State, the Ducks’ resurgence under Lanning was undeniable.

8. Kalen DeBoer (Alabama – $10.25 million)

Succeeding Nick Saban at Alabama is arguably the toughest job in college football, but Kalen DeBoer has handled the challenge with composure and promise. After an exceptional run at Washington, where he led the Huskies to a 14-1 record and a national title appearance, DeBoer took over the Crimson Tide in 2024 and guided them to a solid 9-4 debut season.

DeBoer was brought in with an eight-year, $87 million deal that runs through December 31, 2031, starting at $10 million per year with annual raises of $250,000, reaching $11.75 million in the final year. The contract is 90% guaranteed, offering strong job security, and includes generous bonuses, $125,000 for winning the SEC Championship and up to $150,000 for a College Football Playoff appearance.

9. Brian Kelly (LSU – $10.17 million)

When LSU lured Brian Kelly away from Notre Dame in 2021, they were hiring a proven winner and making a statement with an offer of about $10 million annually. The coach delivered right away, guiding the Tigers to a 10-win season in 2022. The program sees him as the guy who can keep them competitive against the likes of Alabama and Georgia, and he’s doing just that, and hopefully, he’ll bring another national title to Baton Rouge.

10. Bill Bellichick (North Carolina $10.1 million)

This one’s a bit of an anomaly. Bill Belichick didn’t exactly climb the college coaching ladder, he descended from the NFL mountaintop. Widely regarded as the greatest coach in NFL history, Belichick built a dynasty with the New England Patriots, winning six Super Bowls as head coach and two more as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants. His move to the North Carolina Tar Heels was one of the most stunning transitions in recent football history, drawing immense media attention and an equally massive paycheck.

At 73, Belichick brought with him decades of experience, an encyclopedic understanding of the game, and a reputation for meticulous preparation and discipline. While his tenure in Chapel Hill hasn’t yet mirrored his NFL dominance, the Tar Heels’ decision to pay $10.1 million annually reflects both his legendary status and the university’s ambition to inject professional-level excellence into its football program. After all, when you hire the man with the most Super Bowl wins in history, you’re not just getting a coach, you’re getting a football institution.

Conclusion

The staggering salaries of today’s college football coaches show just how big a deal the sport has become. College programs want to compete at the highest level, and to do so, they spare no expense in keeping elite coaches on their sidelines.

These coaches are also not just leading teams to win games and titles; they’ve become the faces of billion-dollar brands, responsible for recruiting, player development, alumni pride, and driving national TV ratings. So, their massive contracts go beyond wins and losses; they represent the business of college football itself. And with the sport continuing to grow, don’t be surprised if these numbers climb even higher in the years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is the highest-paid college football coach in 2025?

Kirby Smart of Georgia holds the top spot, earning around $13 million per year under a 10-year, $130 million deal that runs through 2033. His back-to-back national championships and dominance in the SEC have cemented his place at the top of the salary ladder.

Why are college football coaches paid so much?

College football generates billions in revenue through TV deals, ticket sales, sponsorships, and merchandise. Coaches are seen as central to sustaining success and keeping programs competitive, which justifies the massive financial investment.

Do college football coaches make more than NFL coaches?

In some cases, yes. While top NFL coaches like Andy Reid or Sean McVay also earn eight-figure salaries, the highest-paid college coaches, such as Kirby Smart and Ryan Day, are on par with or even surpass them in annual earnings.

Who was the first college football coach to sign a $100 million contract?

Jimbo Fisher made headlines in 2017 with his fully guaranteed 10-year deal at Texas A&M, but Mel Tucker’s 2021 deal with Michigan State and Brian Kelly’s contract at LSU pushed the market past the $100 million threshold.

Are college football coach contracts fully guaranteed?

Not always. Some contracts, like Jimbo Fisher’s original deal at Texas A&M, were fully guaranteed, but others include buyout clauses or partial guarantees. The terms depend heavily on negotiations between the school and the coach.

How do these college football coach salaries impact the players, who aren’t paid the same way?

Player compensation is handled differently through scholarships and, more recently, NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals. While coaches’ salaries come directly from athletic department budgets, NIL has given players a chance to earn significant money, too, though still not at the same level as their coaches.