Top 10 highest paid college basketball coaches in 2023 Ft. John Calipari, Bill Self and more

The list of highest paid college basketball coaches contains the cream of the crop in the nation. Some of the contracts being handed out to college basketball coaches are humongous and are now much longer.

Without much ado, let's dive right into the top ten highest paid basketball coaches' list.

#10. Buzz Williams

Buzz Williams kicks off this list of highest paid coaches and he recently bagged himself a two-year contract extension last month for his efforts in resuscitating the Aggies.

His salary is $4 million a season and will take him through to the 2027-2028 season.

#9. Eric Musselman

Arkansas coach Musselman agreed to a five-year contract extension that is worth $4 million a year and $20 million in total. At the time it would have placed him much higher on this list.

#8. Mick Cronin

In 2022, Cronin signed a 6-year deal through to 2027-2028 worth $ 4.1 million annually and $ 24.6 million over the length of his contract. This just about squeezes him among the highest paid basketball coaches in the nation.

#7. Brad Underwood

Underwood signed a six-year contract extension last year that will take him up to the 2027-2028 season. His contract is worth $4.6 million annually and is worth $29 million overall.

#6. Tony Bennett

Bennett took an unexpected stance in 2019 when his new contract to 2025-2026 was announced. He refused a salary raise and instead asked for his assistants to get more money instead.

He still ranks sixth among the highest paid coaches due to his $4.8 million a year salary.

#5. Bruce Pearl

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl signed a contract extension last year worth $5.4 million ending in 2030. It has an annual $250,000 escalator clause inserted as well. The contract is worth north of $50 million.

#4. Rick Barnes

Barnes won Tennessee its first SEC championship in 43 years and was rewarded with a 5-year contract extension last year. His contract is worth $5.77 million a year through to its conclusion in 2027.

The contract is worth $28.85 million and will include a final-year salary bump of $100,000 to net him $6 million during his last season.

#3. Tom Izzo

Tom Izzo signed a five-year rolling contract extension worth $6 million a year in 2022. His base salary stands at $2.43 million with various bonuses boosting it to $6 million a year.

His contract states that he can become a special university advisor were he to retire.

#2. Bill Self

Bill Self made himself a Kansas hero after winning the national championship twice, in 2008 and 2022.

Self agreed to a lifetime contract of sorts which is broken down into rolling five-year contracts that automatically adds a year to the due date. His base salary is $225,000 but the guaranteed bonuses add up to $6 million annually.

#1. John Calipari is the highest paid college basketball coach

Kentucky's John Calipari has a base salary of $400,000 and a guaranteed salary of $8.5 million from 2023-2025 while that figure jumps to $9 million in 2026. He signed a 10-year contract extension worth $86 million in 2019.

His contract even contains a special clause that allows him to step away from his head coach role into the special assistant to the athletic director's role after the 2023-2024 season.