College football coaching salaries have reached staggering levels in 2025, with nine coaches now firmly in the $10 million club, according to USA Today’s updated database. Programs are willing to pay top dollar to secure elite leadership, hoping to translate big contracts into sustained success on the field. But as the landscape shows, a massive paycheck doesn’t always guarantee results.
While national champions like Kirby Smart and Ryan Day justify their salaries with consistent national championship contention, several others are still struggling to deliver on the lofty expectations their paychecks demand.
Bill Belichick’s much-hyped transition from NFL legend to North Carolina coach is a prime example. Despite a five-year contract worth $50 million, the Tar Heels have yet to win against a Power Four opponent, leaving fans and administrators questioning whether even the greatest coaching mind in football can succeed in the college game.
Below is a closer look at the 10 highest-paid college football coaches for the 2025 season.
College football head coach salary rankings: Overpaid, underpaid and Kirby Smart’s gobsmacking buyout
David Cobb
1. Kirby Smart, Georgia — $13,003,000
Georgia isn’t losing its coach anytime soon, with Smart signing a lucrative extension last year that runs through the 2033 season, with protections that make him almost untouchable — fully guaranteed through 2028 and 85% guaranteed through the deal’s end. That gives him the heftiest buyout in college football. As one of just three active coaches with a national title, Smart’s paycheck is less a reward than an investment in keeping Georgia’s reign rolling.
2. Ryan Day, Ohio State — $12,500,000
Day silenced years of doubters back in January when he led Ohio State on a dominant postseason run to the program’s first national title in a decade. Fresh off that championship, the Buckeyes rewarded him with a seven-year, $87.5 million deal through 2031 — complete with massive buyouts and bonuses — cementing Day’s status as the long-term face of one of college football’s elite programs.
3. Lincoln Riley, USC — $11,537,560
The blockbuster move from Oklahoma to USC is still seeking the payoff many anticipated. The Trojans were one win away from the College Football Playoff in Riley’s first season back in 2022, but regressed in the two years since as defensive struggles and inconsistency kept USC from breaking through on the national stage. A 30-15 record isn’t a disaster yet, but it’s hardly the return the Trojans envisioned for one of college football’s most expensive hires.
4. Dabo Swinney, Clemson — $11,258,575
While the aura of Swinney may be fading, his paycheck certainly is not. Despite high expectations coming into 2025, Clemson has stumbled to its worst start since 2010. That has stirred some unrest, but with two national championships on his resume and as the winningest coach in Clemson history, Swinney will leave on his own terms when he departs Tigertown.
5. Steve Sarkisian, Texas — $10,800,000
After back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances signaled a long-awaited return to national relevance for Texas, Sarkisian cashed in with a lucrative extension back in January amid reported NFL interest — his second new deal in as many years. His fifth season in Austin, however, has been a reality check, with the preseason No. 1 Longhorns tumbling out of the AP Top 25 as early growing pains in the Arch Manning era expose lingering offensive inconsistencies.
6. Dan Lanning, Oregon — $10,400,000
Oregon struck gold when it lured a young Lanning away from Georgia back in 2022. Since arriving, the Ducks have posted the third-best winning percentage (.870) in the FBS and navigated a smooth transition into the Big Ten, capturing a championship in their league debut. Oregon rewarded Lanning with a contract restructuring in March 2025 that makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football. The Ducks look poised to be national title contenders once again this season.
7. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama — $10,250,000
After an up-and-down debut season under DeBoer, Alabama is back in the SEC title conversation, and the program is investing heavily to ensure continued success in the post-Nick Saban era. DeBoer signed an eight-year contract through 2031, with yearly increases topping out at $11.75 million. He can earn up to an additional $1.175 million in incentives for SEC titles, College Football Playoff appearances and national coach of the year honors. But all that matters to those in Tuscaloosa is another national title.
8. Brian Kelly, LSU — $10,175,000
Kelly hasn’t quite elevated LSU where it wants to be despite 29 combined wins in the previous three seasons. The Tigers have been close in recent years since he took over in 2022 after a lengthy tenure at Notre Dame. LSU has backed Kelly with one of the nation’s most aggressive NIL strategies, bringing in the top-rated transfer portal class ahead of the 2025 season in an effort to accelerate the program’s rise back to national championship contention.
9. Bill Belichick, North Carolina — $10,100,000
Well, this experiment has been a complete bust thus far. And there isn’t a while lot of optimism that the Tar Heels can turn things around. North Carolina has yet to beat a Power Four opponent and the lopsided losses continue to get worse. With a guaranteed contract that pays him over $20 million through 2027, the buyout makes moving on a costly proposition unless Belichick chooses to walk away.
10. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss, — $9,000,000
Ole Miss is well-positioned for a run to its first College Football Playoff appearance under Kiffin, so long as it avoids devastating missteps. The Rebels have rewarded him with two contract extensions and pay raises since 2022, a savvy move given his rapid rise and career resurgence. Kiffin has reached double-digit wins three times in five seasons, revitalizing a program that had just seven 10-win campaigns before his arrival. With a keen eye for the transfer portal and elite offensive scheming, Kiffin has made Ole Miss one of college football’s most intriguing destinations.
Other notables
14. Deion Sanders, Colorado — $8,975,000 … Sanders’ health has become a legitimate concern after undergoing a medical procedure for blood clot issues Tuesday.
16. James Franklin, Penn State — $8,500,000 … Has the patience passed in Happy Valley? With back-to-back losses and the Nittany Lions’ playoff hopes rapidly fading, Franklin faces mounting pressure.
17. Mario Cristobal, Miami — $8,500,000 … Cristobal could be due for a massive pay increase should he finally capitalize on a massive opportunity to lead the Hurricanes back to national prominence in 2025.
18. Curt Cignetti, Indiana — $8,300,000 … There shouldn’t be a price tag for the immediate success Cignetti brought to the Hoosiers, a program that suddenly finds itself in the top tier of the Big Ten.
23. Brent Venables, Oklahoma — $7,552,750 … Venables had arguably the hottest seat of any FBS coach entering the season, but has quieted critics so far by guiding the Sooners to top-10 national rankings.
24. Billy Napier, Florida — $7,220,000 … Just when it seems like Napier’s tenure in Gainesville is on the brink, he pulls off a signature upset to revive the program’s momentum.
32. Mike Elko, Texas A&M — $7,000,000 … The Aggies handcuffed themselves with the record-setting buyout it guaranteed Jimbo Fisher, leaving Elko to navigate the program with a far lesser salary.
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