SEC football head coach salaries 2023 feat. Nick Saban, Kirby Smart

The SEC is the center of college football with only Clemson breaking the monopoly of SEC football head coach salaries 2023national champions held by the conference in the last 8 years. Some of the most illustrious coaches in the country come from the conference as well.

The highest-paid coaches mostly hail from the SEC (Southeastern Conference) and we rank them from the lowest-paid to the highest-paid.

SEC football head coach salaries 2023

#14. Zach Arnett, Mississippi State - $3 million

First-year Mississippi State coach Zach Arnette earns the least of all SEC coaches and he had big shoes to fill after coach Mike Leach passed on unexpectedly last December.

#13. Clark Lea, Vanderbilt - $3.052 million

Clark Lea like Zach Arnett was also a former defensive coordinator who made the jump to becoming a head coach.

As a first-year coach, his ranking on this list makes a lot of sense.

#12. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri - $6 million

One of the few remaining undefeated teams in the SEC is Missouri coached by Eli Drinkwitz.

With a 5-0 record, the Tigers look good value to be fighting for the conference championship game appearance due to Drinkwitz's efforts.

#11. Shane Beamer, South Carolina - $6.125 million

Shane Beamer's Gamecocks have started the season in a wobbly fashion with a 2-3, 1-2 conference play record. It doesn't get any easier for Beamer either and he might be one of the coaches on the hot seat at the end of the season.

#10. Sam Pittman, Arkansas - $6.358 million

The season has just been getting harder for the Arkansas Razorbacks and their loss against the unranked Texas A&M Aggies brought their lowest total output under Sam Pittman, just 174 yards.

Pittman is one of the college football coaches in the firing line.

#9. Hugh Freeze, Auburn - $6.5 million

The Auburn Tigers made a game out of their meeting with No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs showing that they're headed in the direction under Hugh Freeze.

#8. Billy Napier, Florida - $7.27 million

Before the loss against Kentucky, the Florida Gators under Billy Napier had brought themselves into the national championship conversation due to the good work of their coach.

#7. Josh Heupel, Tennessee - $9 million

Josh Heupel led the Volunteers to the Orange Bowl last year with a passing game that dazzled the nation.

He managed to get a contract extension and an extensive salary bump from $5 million to $9 million as a result, significantly boosting his ranking on this list.

#6. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss - $9 million

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has rebuilt his reputation as the coach of the Rebels.

His massive win against LSU will win him a lot of goodwill although he did not take advantage of an inexperienced Alabama side to notch a win against his former mentor Nick Saban.

#5. Mark Stoops, Kentucky - $9.014 million

Mark Stoops has led the Wildcats to an incredible 5-0 start which included a 33-14 whitewash of Florida.

The team is ranked No. 20 and the top five ranking in the highest-paid coaches list makes a lot of sense.

#4. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M - $9.15 million

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher is currently 4-1 with the Aggies and is in a good position to fight for the SEC West championship.

His enhanced status is reflected in his mammoth $9.15 million salary.

#3. Brian Kelly, LSU - $9.975 million

LSU's Brian Kelly is one of the coaches on the hot seat after his much-fancied Tigers side have not started the season as well as expected and the 55-49 loss to Ole Miss might have just written Kelly's pink slip.

#2. Kirby Smart, Georgia - $10.706 million

Kirby Smart has led the Georgia Bulldogs to two consecutive national championships and is one of the most celebrated college football coaches currently active.

With the Bulldogs currently 5-0, Smart is seeking to make history and make Georgia the first team to three-peat.

#1. The highest-paid coach in the SEC is Alabama's Nick Saban

Alabama's Nick Saban is paid $11.4 million and he has earned it as the winningest coach in college football history.

Although his inexperienced team has not started the season in the best possible manner, Alabama will always be a threat under Saban.

7 of the 10 highest-paid coaches in the country hail from the SEC and the top 10 list from the conference is almost a de facto national list.