The good folks atUSA Todayhave released yet another salary list, this time publishing the salaries of the coaches participating in this year's NCAA Tournament.
As we've done in the past, we examined the list to compare Tourney-qualifying coaches with their gridiron counterparts. This time, we've combined the list to rank the 25 highest-paid college sports coaches -- while keeping in mind this list includes only those basketball coaches that made the Tournament.
Basketball coaches in italics. All figures rounded to the nearest hundred thousand, except in instances to break a tie.
1. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke - $7.3 million
2. Nick Saban, Alabama - $7.1 million
3. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan - $7 million
4. John Calipari, Kentucky - $6.9 million
5. Urban Meyer, Ohio State - $5.9 million
6. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma - $5.4 million
7. Jimbo Fisher, Florida State - $5.2 million
8. Charlie Strong, Texas - $5.1 million
9. Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M - $5 million
10. Sean Miller, Arizona - $4.945 million
11. Bill Self, Kansas - $4.93 million
12. James Franklin, Penn State - $4.4 million
13. Les Miles, LSU - $4.39 million
14. Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss - $4.3 million
15. Art Briles, Baylor - $4.2 million
16. Tom Izzo, Michigan State - $4.15 million
17. Gus Malzahn, Auburn - $4.1 million
18. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa - $4.08 million
19. Dan Mullen, Mississippi State - $4 million
20. Jim McElwain, Florida - $3.98 million
21. Bret Bielema, Arkansas - $3.96 million
22. Gary Patterson, TCU - $3.94 million
23. Kirby Smart, Georgia - $3.75 million
24. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State - $3.7 million
25. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State - $3.65 million
As the chart shows, the highest level basketball coaches can earn with their football counterparts, but outside the elite of the elite, football rules the day. Basketball coaches claim the top spot, two of the top four, four of the top 11... and one spot between 12 and 25.