Muschamp ranks near top of NCAA, bottom of SEC, in salary
First-year South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp is the 36th-highest paid college football coach in the country, according to USA Today’s annual salary review, which was released Wednesday.
Muschamp, who makes $3 million annually, is the 12th-highest paid coach in the SEC. Only Vanderbilt’s Derek Mason ($2.6 million) and Missouri’s Barry Odom ($2.4 million) make less.
The highest paid football coach in the country doesn’t reside in the SEC. That’s Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, who will make $9 million this year. Alabama’s Nick Saban is second at $6.9 million.
USA Today’s survey took note this year of contract buyouts and noted that Muschamp is one of 33 coaches nationally with a buyout of more than $8 million. If South Carolina fired Muschamp this season, he would be owed $9.5 million.
Steve Spurrier was paid more than $4 million annually when he resigned midway through the 2015 season.
SEC head coach salaries
Coach, school | Salary |
1. Nick Saban, Alabama | $6,939,395 |
2. Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M | $5,000,000 |
3. Gus Malzahn, Auburn | $4,729,500 |
4. Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss | $4,703,500 |
5. *Les Miles, LSU | $4,385,567 |
6. Jim McElwain, Florida | $4,268,325 |
7. Dan Mullen, Miss. State | $4,200,000 |
8. Bret Bielema, Arkansas | $4,145,000 |
9. Butch Jones, Tennessee | $4,110,000 |
10. Kirby Smart, Georgia | $3,753,000 |
11. Mark Stoops, Kentucky | $3,513,600 |
12. Will Muschamp, USC | $3,002,500 |
13. Derek Mason, Vanderbilt | $2,566,877 |
14. Barry Odom, Missouri | $2,350,000 |
*Miles’ salary before he was fired.
This story was originally published October 26, 2016 at 10:54 AM.