The Most Highly Paid College Football Coaches in 2015

The following statistics are from an article published by Business Insider, which is itself based on statistics reported by USA Today.

#25 Jim Mora — $3.35 million
School: UCLA
Conference: Pac-12
School Salary: $3.35 million
Other Pay: $0
Potential Bonus: $0.93 million
Championships (conference/national): 0/0

#24 Chris Petersen — $3.40 million
School: Washington
Conference: Pac-12
School Salary: $3.40 million
Other Pay: $2,940
Potential Bonus: $1.18 million
Championships (conference/national): 5/0

#23 Butch Jones — $3.63 million
School: Tennessee
Conference: SEC
School Salary: $3.61 million
Other Pay: $23,000
Potential Bonus: $1.00 million
Championships (conference/national): 4/0

#22 Mike Gundy — $3.65 million
School: Oklahoma State
Conference: Big 12
School Salary: $3.65 million
Other Pay: not reported
Potential Bonus: $0.55 million
Championships (conference/national): 1/0

#21 Mark Dantonio — $3.67 million
School: Michigan State
Conference: Big Ten
School Salary: $3.67 million
Other Pay: $0
Potential Bonus: $0.65 million
Championships (conference/national): 2/0

#20 Gary Patterson — $3.94 million
School: Texas Christian
Conference: Big 12
School Salary: $3.94 million
Other Pay: not reported
Potential Bonus: not reported
Championships (conference/national): 6/0

#19 Bret Bielema — $3.96 million
School: Arkansas
Conference: SEC
School Salary: $3.95 million
Other Pay: $6,500
Potential Bonus: $1.00 million
Championships (conference/national): 3/0

#18 Jim McElwain — $3.98 million
School: Florida
Conference: SEC
School Salary: $3.98 million
Other Pay: not reported
Potential Bonus: $0.45 million
Championships (conference/national): 0/0

#17 Gary Pinkel — $4.02 million
School: Missouri
Conference: SEC
School Salary: $3.77 million
Other Pay: $0
Potential Bonus: $0.73 million
Championships (conference/national): 1/0

#16 Steve Spurrier — $4.03 million
School: South Carolina
Conference: SEC
School Salary: $4.00 million
Other Pay: $28,600
Potential Bonus: $1.70 million
Championships (conference/national): 7/1
Note: Steve Spurrier decided to resign mid-season. However, it is unclear how much of his 2015 salary he will receive. It is possible he will remain the payroll as a consultant or adviser.)

#15 Kirk Ferentz — $4.08 million
School: Iowa
Conference: Big Ten
School Salary: $4.08 million
Other Pay: $0
Potential Bonus: $2.38 million
Championships (conference/national): 2/0

#14 Gus Malzahn — $4.10 million
School: Auburn
Conference: SEC
School Salary: $4.10 million
Other Pay: $4,500
Potential Bonus: $1.40 million
Championships (conference/national): 2/0

#13 Mark Richt — $4.12 million
School: Georgia
Conference: SEC
School Salary: $4.00 million
Other Pay: $124,000
Potential Bonus: $1.80 million
Championships (conference/national): 2/0

#12 Art Briles — $4.24 million
School: Baylor
Conference: Big 12
School Salary: $4.24 million
Other Pay: $2,500
Potential Bonus: not reported
Championships (conference/national): 3/0

#11 Dan Mullen — $4.28 million
School: Mississippi State
Conference: SEC
School Salary: $4.00 million
Other Pay: $0
Potential Bonus: $0.90 million
Championships (conference/national): 0/0

#10 Hugh Freeze — $4.31 million
School: Mississippi
Conference: SEC
School Salary: $4.30 million
Other Pay: $10,000
Potential Bonus: $0.98 million
Championships (conference/national): 1/0

#9 Les Miles — $4.39 million
School: Louisiana State
Conference: SEC
School Salary: $4.30 million
Other Pay: $88,721
Potential Bonus: $0.70 million
Championships (conference/national): 2/1

#8 James Franklin — $4.40 million
School: Penn State
Conference: Big Ten
School Salary: $4.40 million
Other Pay: not reported
Potential Bonus: $1.00 million
Championships (conference/national): 0/0

#7 Kevin Sumlin — $5.00 million
School: Texas A&M
Conference: SEC
School Salary: $5.00 million
Other Pay: $0
Potential Bonus: $1.35 million
Championships (conference/national): 0/0

#6 Charlie Strong — $5.10 million
School: Texas
Conference: Big 12
School Salary: $5.10 million
Other Pay: $270
Potential Bonus: $1.00 million
Championships (conference/national): 2/0

#5 Jimbo Fisher — $5.15 million
School: Florida State
Conference: ACC
School Salary: $5.15 million
Other Pay: $0
Potential Bonus: $1.48 million
Championships (conference/national): 3/1

#4 Bob Stoops — $5.40 million
School: Oklahoma
Conference: Big 12
School Salary: $5.40 million
Other Pay: $0
Potential Bonus: $0.83 million
Championships (conference/national): 8/1

#3 Urban Meyer — $5.86 million
Urban Meyer says there are not enough scholarships for an eight-team playoff.
School: Ohio State
Conference: Big Ten
School Salary: $5.86 million
Other Pay: $0
Potential Bonus: $0.78 million
Championships (conference/national): 5/3

#2 Jim Harbaugh — $7.00 million
School: Michigan
Conference: Big Ten
School Salary: $7.00 million
Other Pay: not reported
Potential Bonus: $1.18 million
Championships (conference/national): 0/0

#1 Nick Saban — $7.09 million
School: Alabama
Conference: SEC
School Salary: $6.93 million
Other Pay: $0.16 million
Potential Bonus: $0.70 million
Championships (conference/national): 6/4
Note: For highly successful coaches like Saban it can be difficult to determine just how much their job is worth financially. For example, shortly after flirting with the University of Texas in 2014, Saban got a new deal with Alabama and also had the $3 million mortgage on his house paid off by a foundation backed by University of Alabama boosters.

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