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While the college basketball season begins each fall, only the best programs continue playing meaningful games deep into March.
For NCAA coaches, their success is judged off of their ability to not just make that season's NCAA Tournament, but to make some noise once they do.
The head coaches with the most extensive March Madness success tend to make the most money themselves — among the highest-paid college coaches in men's and women's basketball, plenty have become household names due to their years of player development, NCAA Tournament appearances and national titles.
Here's a full list of the 25 highest-paid head coaches across both men's and women's college basketball, with most figures according to USA Today's salary database.
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1. Bill Self, Kansas
- 2025 salary: $8,803,800
College basketball's highest-paid coach is Bill Self, a two-time NCAA Tournament winner who has led the Kansas Jayhawks since 2003.
Self's deal, which was amended in 2023 as a five-year agreement, is essentially set up as a lifetime contract that made him the highest-paid coach in college basketball. Over the five-year deal, Self was set to make a total of $53 million. Self is on a "rolling" contract, meaning it will extend another year until his presumptive retirement. According to KSHB, Self's contract includes a prorated $5 million retention bonus if he remains with the program through March 31, 2028, and incentives for achievements like a Big 12 Tournament title, winning the Big 12 Coach of the Year award, making the NCAA Tournament and more.
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2. John Calipari, Arkansas
- 2025 salary: $8,000,000
One of just two college basketball coaches to reportedly be making at least $8 million, John Calipari joined Arkansas in 2024 after 15 years at Kentucky.
It certainly cost the Razorbacks a pretty penny to land the star head coach; Calipari's five-year deal, which goes through April 2029, has a base salary of $7 million, plus $500,000 annual retention payments, per USA Today. He also received a reported $1 million signing bonus in his first year, for an estimated $8 million.
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3. Dan Hurley, UConn
- 2025 salary: $7,775,000
Dan Hurley has quickly become one of the most recognizable figures in college basketball, joining UConn in 2018 and winning a pair of national titles since then.
Despite some rumors that he'd head to the NBA, in 2024, Hurley inked a six-year, $50 million contract to coach the Huskies through the 2029-30 season. In comparison, Geno Auriemma, the leader of UConn women's basketball who has won 12 NCAA Tournaments, signed a five-year, $18.7 million contract with the Huskies in 2024.
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4. Rick Barnes, Tennessee
- 2025 salary: $6,200,000
He hasn't quite been at Tennessee as long as he was at Texas yet, but Rick Barnes has continued to prove himself as one of the most consistent winners in the sport with the Vols.
In 2025, he signed a "lifetime" contract at Tennessee — the deal was set up to automatically extend for a year every April 15 starting in 2028. According to the Knox News, Barnes' deal includes a $6.2 million salary in 2025-26, and essentially, it allows him to remain with the team until he chooses to retire.
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5. Tom Izzo, Michigan State
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- 2025 salary: $6,196,879
Synonymous with the Michigan State brand by now, Tom Izzo has become a college basketball legend with the Spartans. He's been at the school since 1983, and the head coach since 1995.
In 2022, Izzo agreed to a deal at Michigan State that went for five years, but it is a "rolling" contract worth just shy of $6.2 million annually. The deal further confirmed Izzo's previous commitments to be a "Spartan for life."
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6. Mick Cronin, UCLA
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- 2025 salary: $6,100,000
With UCLA now in the Big Ten, Mick Cronin has continued to lead one of the best teams in men's college basketball. The Bruins have made the NCAA Tournament four times in Cronin's six seasons, although one missed season was the canceled 2020 tournament.
Most recently, Cronin signed an extension with UCLA in 2022 that goes through the 2027-28 season. While the details of Cronin's contract aren't as public as some others', USA Today had Cronin's 2024-25 salary at $6.1 million.
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T-7. Todd Golden, Florida
- 2025 salary: $6,000,000
The newest national champion head coach on the list, Todd Golden broke through in his third season at Florida in 2024, with a 36-4 record and NCAA Tournament title.
Immediately afterward, the Gators ensured Golden wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. He signed an extension in May 2025 that runs for six years, totals $40.5 million and concludes in March 2031. Starting in 2025-26, Golden will make $6 million, and that figure is set to increase by $300,000 annually until the end of the contract in 2031.
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T-7. Chris Beard, Ole Miss
- 2025 salary: $6,000,000
Chris Beard's time at Ole Miss has brought quick success, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2025.
After a reported pursuit by Texas A&M, Beard signed an extension with the Rebels in 2025 that pays him $6 million in salary for 2025-26, according to The Dispatch. The base salary will reportedly increase by $100,000 each year until the end of the deal in 2031. Previously, Beard had made a reported $5 million in the 2024-25 season.
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9. Nate Oats, Alabama
- 2025 salary: $5,510,000
Alabama isn't just an annual contender in football, as its men's basketball program has also seen elite success. Nate Oats has paved the way since 2019.
In 2024, Oats signed an extension with the Crimson Tide that runs through March 2030, per the Tuscaloosa News, and included a 2025-26 salary of $5.51 million. By the end of the deal, that will reportedly increase to $7.55 million.
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10. Kelvin Sampson, Houston
- 2025 salary: $5.5 million
Kelvin Sampson guided Houston to the verge of its first NCAA Tournament title in 2025, narrowly falling to Florida in the championship. Still, under Sampson, the Cougars have emerged as a powerhouse in college basketball since his first year in 2014-15.
After the successful 2024-25 season, Houston rewarded Sampson with a four-year extension that runs through the 2028-29 season. According to the Houston Chronicle, Sampson's extension pays him $5.5 million in both the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, then increases to $6.5 million in 2027-28.
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11. Scott Drew, Baylor
- 2025 salary: $5,410,061
Scott Drew is among the most well-respected coaches in college basketball, a one-time national champion who has led Baylor to the NCAA Tournament in all but eight seasons, not counting 2020.
In 2024-25, USA Today estimated Drew's salary at $5,410,061. While the length of his deal is largely unknown, Drew has reportedly passed up other head coaching jobs to remain with the Bears on multiple occasions, among the longest-tenured coaches out there.
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12. Mark Pope, Kentucky
- 2025 salary: $5,250,000
After success at both Utah Valley and BYU, Mark Pope became Kentucky's next head coach in 2024. In 2024-25, he led the Wildcats to the Sweet 16.
According to the Lexington Herald Leader, Pope's deal at Kentucky was worth $27.5 million over five years. He was reportedly due to receive $5 million in 2024-25, with his salary increasing by $250,000 each year through the 2028-29 season, making his 2025-26 salary an estimated $5.25 million. However, because Kentucky made the Sweet 16 in 2025, Pope automatically had another year added to his contract to go through 2029-30, per Sportico.
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13. Tommy Lloyd, Arizona
- 2025 salary: $5,100,000
Tommy Lloyd has proven himself as an excellent recruiter in his first head coaching job, joining Arizona in 2021 without any prior head coaching experience. In 2025, he now has some elite talent on his squad in Koa Peat and Brayden Burries, two of the top prospects in their class.
In April 2025, Arizona signed Lloyd to an extension that runs through 2030. According to ESPN, the deal bumped his base pay to $4.4 million each of the first two years of his previous deal, also with $700,000 from "additional duties."
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14. Grant McCasland, Texas Tech
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- 2025 salary: $5,000,000
Grant McCasland joined Texas Tech in 2023 with experience at North Texas, Arkansas State, Midwestern State and Midland College. His fifth head coaching role has brought more success.
The Red Raiders made the NCAA Tournament in each of McCasland's first two seasons, including a trip to the Elite Eight in 2024-25. In May 2025, Texas Tech extended McCasland on a six-year, $31.5 million deal that goes through the 2030-31 season and increased his 2025 salary from $3.9 million to $5 million, per the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. The deal also reportedly increases $100,000 each year, topping out at $5.5 million for the 2030-31 season.
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15. Matt Painter, Purdue
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- 2025 salary: $4,970,000
Purdue has been able to retain plenty of talent in recent years, boasting some of the nation's best players, from Zach Edey to Braden Smith. Matt Painter has been a big reason why.
In 2024, Painter signed an extension that will keep him in West Lafayette through the 2028-29 season. Painter reportedly made $4.85 million in 2024-25, but will receive $4.97 million in 2025-26, per Mike Carmin.
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T-16. Buzz Williams, Maryland
- 2025 salary: $4,800,000
Following Kevin Willard's departure, Maryland hired Buzz Williams in 2025 to lead the next era of its men's basketball program.
According to the Baltimore Banner, Williams got a six-year deal worth at least $33.3 million, including at least $4.8 million in the 2025-26 season.
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T-16. Sean Miller, Texas
- 2025 salary: $4,800,000
Another coach to change teams in the 2025 cycle, Sean Miller replaced Rodney Terry at Texas with previous stints leading Xavier and Arizona.
Miller signed a six-year, $32 million contract with the Longhorns, per ESPN, which began at $4.8 million for the 2025-26 season. Miller's deal increases by $200,000 every year through the 2030-31 season.
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18. Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska
- 2025 salary: $4,750,000
Fred Hoiberg led Nebraska to back-to-back 20-win seasons over the last two years, including becoming the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament's champion.
In 2024, Hoiberg landed an extension from the Cornhuskers that runs through the 2028-29 season and will paid the Husker coach $4.25 million in its first season, before annual increases kicked in for subsequent seasons.
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19. Dusty May, Michigan
- 2025 salary: $4,650,000
In the 2024 coaching cycle, Michigan grabbed Dusty May from Florida Atlantic and immediately saw results. The Wolverines made a run to the Sweet 16 the following March.
In February 2025, Michigan quickly re-upped May for the long haul, singing him to a deal that will keep him in Ann Arbor through 2030. May's deal included an increase of $1 million annually in salary from where he was previously, per CBS Sports. In total, May is making $25.5 million on the extension, per MLive.
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T-20. Chris Jans, Mississippi State
- 2025 salary: $4,400,000
Formerly the leader of New Mexico State and Bowling Green men's basketball, Chris Jans went to Mississippi State in 2022 and has already built an annual SEC contender.
The extension Jans signed with MSU in 2024 has a few caveats, per the Clarion Ledger. Not only does Jans reportedly receive an automatic one-year extension and $100,000 raise each time the team makes the NCAA tournament, but his deal already included $100,000 raises each season through March 2028. For 2025-26, Jans is set to make $4.4 million, per the Clarion Ledger.
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T-20. Brad Underwood, Illinois
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- 2025 salary: $4,400,000
One of the longest-tenured Big Ten coaches, Brad Underwood has been at the helm of Illinois men's hoops since 2017.
While USA Today's database listed Underwood's 2024-25 salary at $4.8 million, in May 2025, he signed an extension that goes through 2030-31 and gives him an annual salary beginning at $4.4 million, per 247Sports.
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22. Dennis Gates, Missouri
- 2025 salary: $4,200,000
The Missouri Tigers have been to a pair of NCAA Tournaments since Dennis Gates took over in 2022-23, although a rough 8-24 season came in-between those appearances.
In March 2023, Missouri announced it was giving Gates an extension through the 2028-29 season, which started him at $4 million pay in 2023-24 and increased $100,000 each season through the life of the agreement. That means Gates is making an estimated $4.2 million in 2025-26.
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23. Jamie Dixon, TCU
- 2025 salary: $4,106,441
After over a decade leading Pitt, Jamie Dixon has now been at TCU for nearly a decade. Since 2016, he's led the Horned Frogs to four NCAA Tournaments.
In 2024, Dixon agreed to an extension at TCU, his alma mater, that runs through the 2029-30 season, paying him north of $4.1 million as of 2024-25.
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24. Dana Altman, Oregon
- 2025 salary: $4,007,000
For over a decade, Dana Altman has been the man in charge of the Oregon Ducks' men's basketball program. Since 2010, he's led the team to over 300 total wins and nine NCAA Tournament appearances. The winningest coach in program history, Altman is one of three active Division I coaches with 28 consecutive winning seasons.
Most recently, Altman signed a six-year extension in 2022 that keeps him at Oregon through 2028, which pays him just around $4 million in 2025-26.
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25. Dawn Staley, South Carolina
- 2025 salary: $4,000,000
Staley, the lone women's NCAA coach on this list, is one of the all-time greats in her sport. She's been leading South Carolina women's basketball since 2008, steadily making the program a staple in national conversations.
Under Staley, the Gamecocks have won three national titles (2017, 2022, 2024) and nine SEC Tournaments (2015-18, 2020-21, 2023-25). In January 2025, South Carolina rewarded the four-time Naismith Coach of the Year winner with a historic extension.
Staley is now under contract through the 2029-30 season with the Gamecocks, becoming the highest-paid women's basketball coach in NCAA history. The contract included an annual salary of $4 million, with a $500,00 signing bonus and an annual $250,000 escalator, making the total value approximately $25.25 million.
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