According to USA Today’s annual ranking of National Collegiate Athletic Association coaches’ salaries, Jim Harbaugh is no longer the highest-paid coach in football.
The University of Michigan football coach’s 2017 salary of $7,004,000 earned him third place, after University of Alabama’s Nick Saban and Clemson University’s Dabo Swinney. Following Jim Harbaugh in fourth is Ohio State University’s Urban Meyer.
Saban had been the highest-paid coach in college football for six of the past seven years –– all except Harbaugh’s 2016 reign in which he made $9,004,000. In 2017, Saban earned $11,132,000. Swinney will earn $8,526,000 after Clemson’s national championship win earlier this year.
Harbaugh is signed into a seven-year contract that started in December 2014. This contract pays him a $500,000 base salary plus a $4.5 million compensation for media and promotional appearances. Additionally, Harbaugh has an annual $2 million life insurance policy that he can draw from.
Starting in January, Harbaugh’s annual compensation will increase to about $7.5 million, when he receives a 10 percent raise to his base salary.
Based only off his base salary, Harbaugh is the 13th highest-paid University employee. University President Mark Schlissel’s salary totals $823,523 after his third pay raise.
Harbaugh’s career at the University has brought him a 25-8 record, with the team earning two 10-win seasons. However, the Wolverines’ current record of 5-2 has some fans hoping for better performance.