The college basketball season is here, so we decided to look at the highest-paid head coaches in the sport. These men are amongst the elite in the sport, and they are paid handsomely because of their positive impact on their teams. Some of these coaches have been around for what seems like forever, while others are up-and-coming coaches who only recently became paid like a premier coach.
Recent seasons have seen the retirement of some of the most legendary – and highest-paid – coaches ever, which has opened the door for new coaches to have their time in the spotlight. The coaches on this list all have high expectations for their programs this season, and their teams will need to live up to those expectations to justify the expensive price tags that these coaches are paid at. With high salaries come great expectations.
Most recently, Bill Self – the head coach at Kansas – signed a record-breaking deal. His new contract makes him the highest-paid coach in college basketball. So, with that said, here are the 10 highest-paid college basketball coaches during the 2023-24 season.
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10. Eric Musselman: Arkansas, $4 million
One of the most well-known college basketball coaches because of his in-your-face personality and exciting coaching style, Eric Musselman is also one of the highest-paid coaches in college basketball. Musselman's transition from the NBA to the collegiate level has gone smoother than anyone could have guessed, and he has become a fan favorite at Arkansas. Before coaching the Razorbacks, Musselman had a successful stint at Nevada. Arkansas pays the coach $4 million through 2026.
T-8. Mick Cronin: UCLA, $4.1 million
UCLA is arguably the most prestigious basketball program in the nation, but most of their winning came a half-century ago under John Wooden, the sport's greatest coach ever. The team underperformed for most of the 21st century, but Mick Cronin has brought the school back to prominence in recent seasons. UCLA is on the rise, and the school rewarded their coach with a big contract because of it. He received a new six-year deal in 2022.
T-8. Brad Underwood: Illinois, $4.1 million
Brad Underwood turned small school Stephen F. Austin into a noteworthy team before he moved on to Oklahoma State. Now, he is the head coach at Illinois. The Fighting Illini are seemingly always a contender under Underwood, and because of this, he is paid like one of the nation's top coaches. Underwood's most recent contract extension pays him $29.1 million through 2027-28.
7. Tony Bennett: Virginia, $4.15 million
Tony Bennett won a national championship with Virginia. Money clearly isn't Bennett's top priority. When his contract was extended in 2019, he didn't take a pay raise and instead had his staff all get paid more. Bennett could afford it, though, as he makes $4.15 million this year.
6. Buzz Williams: Texas A&M, $4.2 million
Buzz Williams has been a somewhat under-the-radar but always effective head coach over the last decade and a half. Williams rose to prominence as the head coach of Marquette before further continuing his legacy at Virginia Tech. Now, Williams is the head coach at Texas A&M. The Aggies may be known for spending big on the football side of things, but Williams still has some nice paydays to look forward to. This summer, Williams signed a two-year extension through the 2027-28 season.
5. Bruce Pearl: Auburn, $5.5 million
Bruce Pearl has been the head coach at Auburn since 2014, and he is likely to remain in that role for the foreseeable future. Pearl signed an eight-year contract extension in 2022 that will pay him $5.4 million annually through 2030. There is a $250,000 annual escalator in his contract.
4. Rick Barnes: Tennessee, $5.7 million
Rick Barnes has a .657 career winning percentage and is currently the head coach at Tennessee, although he is most known for his stint with Texas. Barnes' 779 career wins are the 18th most ever. He has been getting paid for a long time, but his current deal was recently extended to run through 2027-28.
3. Tom Izzo: Michigan State, $6.2 million
Tom Izzo is a legend, and that legend has been made while coaching only one team. Izzo has been the head coach at Michigan State since 1995. Before that, he was an assistant for the Spartans starting in 1983. He can coach Michigan State for as long as he wants, but you have to wonder when he will call it quits. Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim were long-time coaches that recently retired, and Izzo might be the next legend to join that list. Izzo is 68 years old. However, he has shown no signs of slowing down. Izzo's current deal is essentially a lifetime contract, as his deal is extended one year after each season.
2. John Calipari: Kentucky, $8.5 million
John Calipari is not only a legendary coach, but he can be credited with revolutionizing college basketball. He made the sport about the players, and players love him for it. Year in and year out, he gets the top recruits and has the expectation that they will leave for the NBA after a year. It isn't easy to win championships this way, but Kentucky always has the talent to compete. Calipari did win it all in 2012. He has been the coach at Kentucky since 2009, and before that, he was at Memphis.
Until the opening week of the 2023-24 season, Calipari was far and away the highest-paid coach in college basketball. He will make $8.5 million this year, and that number will soon rise to $9 million. The contract lasts until 2028-29, but Calipari will have the opportunity to opt out of his coaching duties and become a special assistant to the athletic director after this season if he so chooses.
1. Bill Self: Kansas, $13 million
High expectations come with coaching a blue-blood program, and Bill Self has lived up to them at Kansas. Self became the head coach of the Jayhawks at a rather young age in 2003, but he has already won two national titles with the team. It is likely that more are on the way, too, as Kansas is always one of the top teams in the nation. Self's .768 winning percentage is the 15th best of all time. Like Izzo, Self's deal is extended by a year after the conclusion of each season, effectively giving him a lifelong contract.
On Nov. 7, just in time for the new college basketball season, the coach was rewarded with a pay raise that makes him the highest-paid coach in college basketball. Self's new deal pays him $13 million this season and $53 million over the next five years.
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