North Cook News

Head coaches of Northwestern University's men’s teams earn an average of $824,724 annually – the 53rd highest average salary in the nation – according to a North Cook News analysis of federal education data.

The analysis found that the university had the equivalent of 8.5 full-time head coaches on staff for its men’s teams. 

The U.S. Department of Education’s office of postsecondary education collects athletics data annually from all institutions with intercollegiate athletics programs that receive funding through federal financial aid programs. Data for 2016 – the latest year available – includes more than 2,000 schools nationwide.

Top 200: Colleges that pay men’s head coaches the most

School	State	Division	Total Undergraduates	Men's Team Average Annual Institutional Salary per FTE	Men's Team Number of FTEs Included in Average
The University of Alabama	AL	NCAA Division I-FBS	29,071	$2,607,845	6
Baylor University	TX	NCAA Division I-FBS	14,087	$1,948,076	5.41
Texas A & M University-College Station	TX	NCAA Division I-FBS	44,975	$1,754,983	6.5
University of Kentucky	KY	NCAA Division I-FBS	20,772	$1,748,081	7
Florida State University	FL	NCAA Division I-FBS	29,051	$1,646,761	6
University of Mississippi	MS	NCAA Division I-FBS	17,649	$1,601,426	5.5
Mississippi State University	MS	NCAA Division I-FBS	16,134	$1,598,568	5.5
University of Miami	FL	NCAA Division I-FBS	10,102	$1,569,673	4.7
Auburn University	AL	NCAA Division I-FBS	20,260	$1,567,784	6.02
Texas Christian University	TX	NCAA Division I-FBS	8,591	$1,545,292	6
University of Louisville	KY	NCAA Division I-FBS	12,325	$1,545,091	7.5
University of Kansas	KS	NCAA Division I-FBS	16,987	$1,542,896	4.5
Vanderbilt University	TN	NCAA Division I-FBS	6,808	$1,539,541	5.25
The University of Texas at Austin	TX	NCAA Division I-FBS	37,026	$1,535,717	6.5
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College	LA	NCAA Division I-FBS	23,036	$1,433,477	6.5
Clemson University	SC	NCAA Division I-FBS	17,849	$1,424,370	6.5
University of Arkansas	AR	NCAA Division I-FBS	19,774	$1,358,965	6
University of Florida	FL	NCAA Division I-FBS	30,583	$1,357,524	6
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus	OK	NCAA Division I-FBS	18,218	$1,356,528	7.5
University of Colorado Boulder	CO	NCAA Division I-FBS	25,692	$1,336,516	4
University of Oregon	OR	NCAA Division I-FBS	18,309	$1,305,311	5.5
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus	PA	NCAA Division I-FBS	18,129	$1,301,935	6
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville	TN	NCAA Division I-FBS	20,719	$1,276,368	6
University of Georgia	GA	NCAA Division I-FBS	26,252	$1,238,550	6
Kansas State University	KS	NCAA Division I-FBS	17,562	$1,226,218	4.5
University of Utah	UT	NCAA Division I-FBS	17,081	$1,200,775	6.5
University of Arizona	AZ	NCAA Division I-FBS	29,049	$1,168,808	7
University of Washington-Seattle Campus	WA	NCAA Division I-FBS	28,165	$1,153,015	7.5
Iowa State University	IA	NCAA Division I-FBS	28,791	$1,150,211	4.5
Texas Tech University	TX	NCAA Division I-FBS	26,588	$1,145,810	5.5
West Virginia University	WV	NCAA Division I-FBS	20,524	$1,132,494	7
University of Missouri-Columbia	MO	NCAA Division I-FBS	24,060	$1,110,324	6
Michigan State University	MI	NCAA Division I-FBS	35,280	$1,084,041	9
Washington State University	WA	NCAA Division I-FBS	21,534	$1,080,569	4.5
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	VA	NCAA Division I-FBS	25,175	$1,041,392	7.75
University of Iowa	IA	NCAA Division I-FBS	20,690	$1,020,219	8
University of Connecticut	CT	NCAA Division I-FBS	18,538	$1,017,483	8.5
Duke University	NC	NCAA Division I-FBS	6,449	$991,546	9.5
University of California-Los Angeles	CA	NCAA Division I-FBS	30,329	$979,416	8.5
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus	GA	NCAA Division I-FBS	13,698	$945,922	6.5
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	MI	NCAA Division I-FBS	27,833	$933,743	12.5
University of Virginia-Main Campus	VA	NCAA Division I-FBS	15,420	$920,291	9
Syracuse University	NY	NCAA Division I-FBS	14,324	$907,719	5.5
Purdue University-Main Campus	IN	NCAA Division I-FBS	29,301	$898,047	7.5
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus	OK	NCAA Division I-FBS	18,330	$894,247	6.5
University of Maryland-College Park	MD	NCAA Division I-FBS	26,174	$890,841	7.5
University of Tulsa	OK	NCAA Division I-FBS	3,248	$882,859	4.5
Arizona State University-Tempe	AZ	NCAA Division I-FBS	38,761	$852,262	8
University of Southern California	CA	NCAA Division I-FBS	18,070	$836,935	7.5
Oregon State University	OR	NCAA Division I-FBS	18,395	$835,752	7
Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	NCAA Division I-FBS	41,666	$826,208	13.5
Northwestern University	IL	NCAA Division I-FBS	8,249	$824,724	8.5
University of Nebraska-Lincoln	NE	NCAA Division I-FBS	19,381	$801,908	7.5
University of Wisconsin-Madison	WI	NCAA Division I-FBS	28,201	$792,581	9
Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	NCAA Division I-FBS	31,884	$785,841	8.5
University of Houston	TX	NCAA Division I-FBS	25,399	$765,123	4.5
Wake Forest University	NC	NCAA Division I-FBS	4,899	$751,668	6.5
Villanova University	PA	NCAA Division I-FCS	6,469	$741,859	7.5
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	IL	NCAA Division I-FBS	32,126	$740,045	8
Wichita State University	KS	NCAA Division I without football	8,566	$717,359	5
North Carolina State University at Raleigh	NC	NCAA Division I-FBS	20,818	$711,628	8.5
Southern Methodist University	TX	NCAA Division I-FBS	6,294	$711,142	6.5
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	PA	NCAA Division I-FBS	39,883	$697,984	12.5
Rutgers University-New Brunswick	NJ	NCAA Division I-FBS	33,939	$697,489	8
Colorado State University-Fort Collins	CO	NCAA Division I-FBS	21,211	$693,125	4
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	NC	NCAA Division I-FBS	17,828	$677,174	9.5
Tulane University of Louisiana	LA	NCAA Division I-FBS	6,487	$674,770	4.5
University of Memphis	TN	NCAA Division I-FBS	12,372	$663,043	6.5
University of Central Florida	FL	NCAA Division I-FBS	38,228	$657,372	6
Georgetown University	DC	NCAA Division I-FCS	6,874	$644,494	8.5
Providence College	RI	NCAA Division I without football	3,768	$639,883	5.5
Xavier University	OH	NCAA Division I without football	4,292	$630,544	4.9
Temple University	PA	NCAA Division I-FBS	26,128	$599,905	6
Boston College	MA	NCAA Division I-FBS	9,486	$587,990	8.4
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	MN	NCAA Division I-FBS	28,782	$579,251	9.5
University of Notre Dame	IN	NCAA Division I-FBS	8,480	$544,837	10
Stanford University	CA	NCAA Division I-FBS	7,032	$541,944	14
University of California-Berkeley	CA	NCAA Division I-FBS	28,107	$541,004	11.5
San Diego State University	CA	NCAA Division I-FBS	26,530	$513,658	6
Brigham Young University-Provo	UT	NCAA Division I-FBS	28,012	$502,330	7.43
University of South Florida-Main Campus	FL	NCAA Division I-FBS	23,603	$488,995	6.5
University of North Texas	TX	NCAA Division I-FBS	25,486	$484,491	3.5
California State University-Fresno	CA	NCAA Division I-FBS	18,828	$483,796	5.5
Marquette University	WI	NCAA Division I without football	7,919	$472,382	6
University of Wyoming	WY	NCAA Division I-FBS	8,099	$468,339	6
Saint Louis University	MO	NCAA Division I without football	6,672	$444,000	4.5
Boise State University	ID	NCAA Division I-FBS	12,350	$433,185	5.5
Seton Hall University	NJ	NCAA Division I without football	5,484	$427,069	5
Gonzaga University	WA	NCAA Division I without football	5,029	$422,721	7
DePaul University	IL	NCAA Division I without football	13,126	$422,068	4.5
Western Michigan University	MI	NCAA Division I-FBS	14,999	$421,811	6
St John's University-New York	NY	NCAA Division I without football	11,468	$417,605	6.5
University of South Carolina-Columbia	SC	NCAA Division I-FBS	23,947	$417,213	6.9
East Carolina University	NC	NCAA Division I-FBS	19,698	$416,183	6
Creighton University	NE	NCAA Division I without football	3,970	$401,184	4.75
The University of Texas at El Paso	TX	NCAA Division I-FBS	13,321	$390,898	4
Western Kentucky University	KY	NCAA Division I-FBS	12,967	$380,763	4.5
Virginia Commonwealth University	VA	NCAA Division I without football	20,050	$376,626	5
University of Northern Iowa	IA	NCAA Division I-FCS	9,119	$368,299	3.78
Butler University	IN	Other	4,171	$359,954	6
Rice University	TX	NCAA Division I-FBS	3,824	$353,624	6
University of Louisiana at Lafayette	LA	NCAA Division I-FBS	12,859	$351,494	5.5
Florida International University	FL	NCAA Division I-FBS	25,920	$343,342	4.5
Liberty University	VA	NCAA Division I-FCS	27,100	$341,278	6.5
Troy University	AL	NCAA Division I-FBS	9,329	$336,593	5.4
University of Massachusetts-Amherst	MA	NCAA Division I-FBS	21,340	$324,479	8
Grand Canyon University	AZ	NCAA Division I without football	14,542	$324,209	6.5
University of New Mexico-Main Campus	NM	NCAA Division I-FBS	15,732	$310,255	7.3
Middle Tennessee State University	TN	NCAA Division I-FBS	15,985	$309,566	5.44
University of Richmond	VA	NCAA Division I-FCS	2,998	$300,365	7
University of Akron Main Campus	OH	NCAA Division I-FBS	13,367	$285,379	4.5
University of Nevada-Reno	NV	NCAA Division I-FBS	15,390	$284,675	5
Central Michigan University	MI	NCAA Division I-FBS	17,077	$280,330	4.5
Ohio University-Main Campus	OH	NCAA Division I-FBS	17,794	$272,298	5.25
Bradley University	IL	NCAA Division I without football	4,278	$272,144	4.5
University of Nevada-Las Vegas	NV	NCAA Division I-FBS	18,237	$272,106	6.5
Texas State University	TX	NCAA Division I-FBS	28,180	$263,138	4.5
University of Rhode Island	RI	NCAA Division I-FCS	12,422	$262,198	6
Louisiana Tech University	LA	NCAA Division I-FBS	7,434	$260,058	4.6
California State University-Long Beach	CA	NCAA Division I without football	27,804	$259,626	5
Kent State University at Kent	OH	NCAA Division I-FBS	19,034	$244,517	5.5
Texas Southern University	TX	NCAA Division I-FCS	5,776	$242,144	4.5
Marshall University	WV	NCAA Division I-FBS	7,917	$240,156	5.4
University of South Alabama	AL	NCAA Division I-FBS	9,596	$239,672	5.49
Georgia State University	GA	NCAA Division I-FBS	19,062	$238,833	6
University of North Carolina at Charlotte	NC	NCAA Division I-FBS	20,257	$238,798	6.5
Florida Atlantic University	FL	NCAA Division I-FBS	15,715	$236,533	6.75
Coastal Carolina University	SC	Other	8,828	$235,880	5.66
Old Dominion University	VA	NCAA Division I-FBS	15,173	$235,824	7.75
University of Denver	CO	NCAA Division I without football	5,478	$229,219	7.5
The University of Texas at San Antonio	TX	NCAA Division I-FBS	19,995	$226,222	5.5
Stony Brook University	NY	NCAA Division I-FCS	15,729	$225,114	6
Miami University-Oxford	OH	NCAA Division I-FBS	16,109	$224,660	7.5
University of Toledo	OH	NCAA Division I-FBS	12,810	$222,367	5.5
Duquesne University	PA	NCAA Division I-FCS	5,851	$221,432	4.5
University of Southern Mississippi	MS	NCAA Division I-FBS	10,242	$218,274	5.5
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus	OH	NCAA Division I-FBS	13,111	$217,224	6.6
Belmont University	TN	NCAA Division I without football	5,925	$215,168	5.5
Northeastern University	MA	NCAA Division I without football	13,345	$211,536	5.5
University of San Francisco	CA	NCAA Division I without football	6,413	$210,422	5.5
North Dakota State University-Main Campus	ND	NCAA Division I-FCS	10,631	$209,095	6
Sam Houston State University	TX	NCAA Division I-FCS	14,497	$207,926	4
Iona College	NY	NCAA Division I-FCS	3,066	$206,437	5
Fordham University	NY	NCAA Division I-FCS	8,725	$203,985	6
San Jose State University	CA	NCAA Division I-FBS	21,569	$202,072	7
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus	NH	NCAA Division I-FCS	12,415	$200,219	6
Illinois State University	IL	NCAA Division I-FCS	17,420	$197,184	5.5
Quinnipiac University	CT	NCAA Division I without football	6,784	$196,353	6.62
Northern Illinois University	IL	NCAA Division I-FBS	12,323	$195,957	7
Saint Joseph's University	PA	NCAA Division I without football	4,649	$195,187	7.31
Boston University	MA	NCAA Division I without football	16,199	$191,733	8
Columbia University in the City of New York	NY	NCAA Division I-FCS	7,552	$191,234	12
University of Hawaii at Manoa	HI	NCAA Division I-FBS	10,676	$190,967	6.48
University of Delaware	DE	NCAA Division I-FCS	17,736	$187,850	6.45
Towson University	MD	NCAA Division I-FCS	16,827	$187,166	5.5
SUNY at Albany	NY	NCAA Division I-FCS	12,387	$186,464	5.65
Santa Clara University	CA	NCAA Division I without football	5,333	$186,126	7
Youngstown State University	OH	NCAA Division I-FCS	8,618	$185,139	4.75
University of Arkansas at Little Rock	AR	NCAA Division I without football	4,424	$183,442	3.5
Eastern Kentucky University	KY	NCAA Division I-FCS	11,002	$183,211	5
James Madison University	VA	NCAA Division I-FCS	18,467	$183,082	6
MiraCosta College	CA	CCCAA	5,138	$182,960	0.25
Saint Mary's College of California	CA	NCAA Division I without football	2,590	$182,890	5.5
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	OH	NCAA Division I-FBS	21,445	$178,834	6
Furman University	SC	NCAA Division I-FCS	2,691	$178,519	7.5
Ball State University	IN	NCAA Division I-FBS	15,018	$177,759	7
University of Minnesota-Duluth	MN	NCAA Division II with football	8,620	$176,691	5
University of Louisiana at Monroe	LA	NCAA Division I-FBS	5,149	$176,111	4.5
Eastern Washington University	WA	NCAA Division I-FCS	9,507	$175,339	4.5
Tennessee State University	TN	NCAA Division I-FCS	5,696	$172,790	3.5
St Bonaventure University	NY	NCAA Division I without football	1,589	$172,214	5.5
Yale University	CT	NCAA Division I-FCS	5,468	$171,313	14
University of the Pacific	CA	NCAA Division I without football	3,375	$170,675	6
Missouri State University-Springfield	MO	NCAA Division I-FCS	15,008	$170,473	5.5
La Salle University	PA	NCAA Division I without football	3,174	$170,120	6
Jacksonville State University	AL	NCAA Division I-FCS	5,392	$169,492	4.25
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga	TN	NCAA Division I-FCS	8,868	$168,529	5.25
Northern Arizona University	AZ	NCAA Division I-FCS	21,490	$168,502	3.01
Stephen F Austin State University	TX	NCAA Division I-FCS	9,571	$168,498	4
University of Massachusetts-Lowell	MA	NCAA Division I without football	9,906	$168,240	5.5
University of Portland	OR	NCAA Division I without football	3,708	$167,933	5
Lamar University	TX	NCAA Division I-FCS	6,161	$167,340	5.5
Eastern Michigan University	MI	NCAA Division I-FBS	12,714	$166,688	6.5
Loyola University Chicago	IL	NCAA Division I without football	10,261	$166,621	4
University of San Diego	CA	NCAA Division I-FCS	5,433	$166,429	7.33
University of Vermont	VT	NCAA Division I without football	9,940	$166,273	5
Pepperdine University	CA	NCAA Division I without football	3,220	$165,696	6.5
University at Buffalo	NY	NCAA Division I-FBS	18,732	$165,379	7
New Mexico State University-Main Campus	NM	NCAA Division I-FBS	9,825	$165,145	5.25
Robert Morris University	PA	NCAA Division I-FCS	3,940	$164,781	5.25
Appalachian State University	NC	NCAA Division I-FBS	15,450	$164,354	8.5
The University of Montana	MT	NCAA Division I-FCS	7,789	$164,094	3.5
University of Alabama at Birmingham	AL	NCAA Division I-FBS	8,941	$164,067	5
University of North Carolina Wilmington	NC	NCAA Division I without football	11,913	$162,842	6
Murray State University	KY	NCAA Division I-FCS	6,916	$162,183	3.94
Morgan State University	MD	NCAA Division I-FCS	5,738	$162,015	2.75
Delaware State University	DE	NCAA Division I-FCS	3,486	$159,686	3.5
Utah State University	UT	NCAA Division I-FBS	16,888	$158,670	6.25
Harvard University	MA	NCAA Division I-FCS	6,931	$158,583	14.04
Fairfield University	CT	NCAA Division I without football	3,802	$158,283	6

Source: U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education