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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
John Shelton

SEC head coach salary rankings for 2023 season

I once read that no occupation in America has less job security than a college football head coach. Look at Tennessee. The Volunteers are on their fifth head coach since 2009. Florida’s is on its fourth. But the risk of being fired after just a year or two does not outweigh the reward — millions of dollars to coach college football.

Using USA TODAY’s coaching salary database, SportsNaut compiled a list of the highest paid college football coaches for the 2023 season, taking into account new contracts that have been signed already this offseason.

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The SEC now has five coaches ranking in the top-10 nationally in salary. Georgia’s Kirby Smart, fresh off of his second consecutive national championship, ranks second in the SEC with a salary of $11.3 million.

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel cashed in on Tuesday with an extension through the 2028 season that will pay him $9 million annually.

Here’s an updated ranking of SEC head coaches by salary:

14: Zach Arnett - Mississippi State

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

2023 salary: $3 million

Year hired: 2023

13: Clark Lea - Vanderbilt

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

2023 salary: $3.5 million

Year hired: 2020

Overall record at school: 7-17

12: Sam Pittman - Arkansas

(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

2023 salary: $6.2 million

Year hired: 2019

Overall record at school: 19-17

T-9. Hugh Freeze - Auburn

Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

2023 salary: $6.5 million

Year hired: 2023

T-9. Eli Drinkwitz

Madeline Carter/USA TODAY Network

2023 salary: $6.5 million

Year hired: 2020

Overall record at school: 17-19

T-9. Shane Beamer - South Carolina

Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

2023 salary: $6.5 million

Year hired: 2021

Overall record at school: 15-11

8. Billy Napier - Florida

[Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]
2023 salary: $7.4 million

Year hired: 2022

Overall record at school: 6-7

T-5. Mark Stoops - Kentucky

Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

2023 salary: $9 million

Year hired: 2012

Overall record at school: 66-59

T-5. Lane Kiffin - Ole Miss

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

2023 salary: $9 million

Year hired: 2020

Overall record at school: 23-13

T-5. Josh Huepel - Tennessee

Syndication: The Knoxville News-Sentinel

2023 salary: $9 million

Year hired: 2021

Overall record at school: 18-8

T-3. Brian Kelly - LSU

(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

2023 salary: $9.5 million

Year hired: 2022

Overall record at school: 10-4

T-3. Jimbo Fisher - Texas A&M

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

2023 salary: $9.5 million

Year hired: 2018

Overall record at school: 39-21

2. Kirby Smart - Georgia

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

2023 salary: $11.3 million

Year hired: 2016

Overall record at school: 81-15

1. Nick Saban - Alabama

Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

2023 salary: $11.7 million

Year hired: 2007

Overall record at school: 189-27

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