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Alabama’s Nick Saban Tops NCAA Football’s Highest-Paid Coaches List With $11M Salary

Alabama coach Nick Saban during the All State Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 1, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Image: Getty)

Alabama head football coach Nick Saban leads USA Today Sports’ highest-paid coaches this season, as he is set to earn $11.1 million.

Nick Saban 2017 Salary News

The 65-year-old’s salary includes a $4 million bonus the Crimson Tide refers to as a “contract extension signing initiative.” Saban’s whopping payday marks the most money a coach has earned at a public school since USA Today began tracking salaries in 2006.

Rounding out the top five in salaries this season are Clemson coach Dabo Swinney at about $8.5 million, Michigan Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh at $7 million, Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer at $6.4 million and Arizona Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez at $5.6 million.

During his first year at Alabama, Saban’s salary was $3.5 million, behind Oklahoma Sooners coach Bob Stoops.

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USA Today reports that when it began analyzing coaches’ salaries, the average was about $950,000 a year. That would be about $1.2 million today, adjusted for inflation.

When asked if he believed he deserved to earn $11K, Saban said, “Probably not.”

Saban’s salary also nears the median total compensation for CEOs, which is $11.5 million, according to 2017’s Equilar/Associated Press pay study of CEOs with at least two years’ experience at S&P 500 companies.

The median compensation for head football coaches is a little more than $3.3 million in the five wealthiest conferences (Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and Southeastern) plus Notre Dame. That’s up by almost $1 million since 2013.

Saban’s salary is higher than the $8.3 million earned in 2015 by the CEO of Alabama’s largest, public non-financial company, per figures published this year by Business Alabama.

The Crimson Tide — which lost to Clemson in this year’s championship game — is undefeated (8-0) this season and leads the SEC West. Alabama defeated Tennessee 45-7 on Saturday and next hosts LSU on Nov. 4.

Alabama coach Nick Saban during the All State Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 1, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Pablo Mena

Writer and assistant editor for usports.org. NY Giants and Rangers fan. Film and TV enthusiast (especially Harry Potter and The Office) and lover of foreign languages and cultures.