College football is one of the biggest spectacles in sports. Not only does it give students and alumni a chance to cheer for their teams, but it also provides many football fans a glimpse of young NFL prospects showcasing their wares in a highly competitive football league.

Because of the stiff competition, college football programs haven’t been hesitant about investing in the right coaches that will take their program to the top. For this piece, let’s take a look at 10 of college football’s richest coaches.

10. Butch Jones

Net Worth: $15 million

Butch Jones transitioned well from being a college football player to head coach. His first head coaching stint in Central Michigan saw him lead the team to several Bowl appearances. Afterward, Jones would continue to find success with the University of Cincinnati.

At Cincinnati, Jones would lead the Bearcats to a Bowl victory and two Big East championships. But despite his success there, Jones would leave Cincinnati to sign with the University of Tennessee on a six-year deal, worth $18 million.

Jones currently coaches Arkansas State, where he currently holds a dismal 5-19 overall record with the Red Wolves.

9. Kirk Ferentz

Net Worth: $16 million

Back in Maine, where he made his head coaching debut, it wasn’t all too pleasant for Kirk Ferentz. He took a $3,000 pay cut to coach the team and struggled to get the wins.

Fortunately, his coaching stint with Iowa has been the complete opposite. With Iowa, Ferentz has led them to two Big Ten Championships. Moreover, Ferentz has garnered several awards including AP College Football Coach of the Year, four Big Ten Coach of the Year awards, and Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award. Furthermore, his recent contract extension will pay him a lucrative annual salary of seven million dollars.

8. Jim Tressel

Net Worth: $18 million

Jim Tressel had a decorated head coaching stint with Ohio State. He coached them into a national championship. Moreover, Tressel would win National Coach of the Year eight times. He was good enough that Ohio State rewarded him by signing him into a contract extension that made him the highest-paid football coach in the Big Ten Conference at that time.

Unfortunately, Tressel and the Buckeyes were at the center of the tattoo-parlor controversy which ultimately ended Tressel’s college football coaching career.

7. Steve Spurrier

Net Worth: $25 million

Steve Spurrier made money as an NFL player when he had stopovers with the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, he even made more money as a college football coach. After leading the Florida Gators to a national championship, Spurrier was rewarded with a five-year contract, worth millions of dollars.

Aside from his success with Florida, Spurrier also found a home at the University of South Carolina where he coached for 10 years. With the Gamecocks, he was signed to a seven year deal, worth $1.25 million a season.

6. Kirby Smart

Net Worth: $25 million

Kirby Smart’s head coaching debut for the Georgia Bulldogs has been nothing short of excellent. He owns a coaching record of 80-15. Moreover, Smart has stirred the team to two SEC championships and one national title.

To secure their future, the Bulldogs inked Smart to a lucrative 10-year contract extension, worth $112.5 million.

5. Lincoln Riley

Net Worth: $30 million

Lincoln Riley pieced together a solid coaching stint at the University of Oklahoma. While coaching the Sooners, Riley stirred them to four straight Big 12 championships. In 2018, he was also named the Big 12 Coach of the Year.

Although Riley signed a lucrative contract extension with Oklahoma, he eventually moved to USC. USC lured the decorated coach with a deal reportedly worth $110 million with additional perks including two houses in Norman and the right to use the institution’s private jet.

4. Brian Kelly

Net Worth: $30 million

Throughout his career, Brian Kelly has proved that he can win in different conferences of college football. Kelly has won two NCAA Division II titles, two Big East Championships, one SEC Western Division title, and many more.

When Brian Kelly was hired by LSU, he became one of the highest-paid college football coaches in history. The institution reportedly signed him to a 10 year deal, worth $95 million.

3. Dabo Swinney

Net Worth: $30 million

For his entire career thus far, Dabo Swinney has coached the Clemson Tigers. And it looks like Swinney will be staying here for the long haul. In September 2022, Swinney signed a 10-year contract extension, worth $115 million.

In his stay at Clemson, Swinney has guided the Tigers to two National Championships. He is also a three-time recipient of the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award.

2. Urban Meyer

Net Worth: $35 million

During his coaching days, Urban Meyer coached for several institutions. However, he got his breakthrough when he coached the Florida Gators. With the help of a talented player like Tim Tebow, Meyer stirred the Gators to two national championships.

After his stint with the Gators, Meyer would go on to replace Jim Tressel as the Buckeyes’ head coach. Based on reports, Meyer signed a seven-year deal, worth $35 million. Roughly three years later, Meyer would win another national championship, this time with Ohio State.

1. Nick Saban

Net Worth: $70 million

Nick Saban is a proven winner in the college football scene. Although his coaching didn’t pan out in the NFL, Saban’s tactics continue to reign supreme at the college level. Throughout his career, Saban has won 10 SEC titles and seven National championships, winning both with LSU and the University of Alabama.

Given his winning history, the Alabama Crimson Tide is paying him huge money to keep him in the program. As a result, he’s the highest-paid college football coach today.