Ryan Day is college football’s fourth-highest-paid coach for the 2023 season.
According to USA TODAY’s coaching salary database, which was updated Tuesday, Day is one of four college football coaches in line to make more than $10 million in total compensation for the 2023 season along with Alabama’s Nick Saban, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney and Georgia’s Kirby Smart.
Michigan State’s Mel Tucker was also in line to make more than $10 million this year, but he was fired for cause by MSU last week amid a sexual harassment investigation.
| Rank | Coach | School | Total Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Saban | Alabama | $11,407,000* |
| 2 | Dabo Swinney | Clemson | $10,884,775* |
| 3 | Kirby Smart | Georgia | $10,705,600 |
| 4 | Ryan Day | Ohio State | $10,271,250* |
| 5 | Mel Tucker | Michigan State | $10,015,350* |
| 6 | Brian Kelly | Louisiana State | $9,975,000* |
| 7 | Jimbo Fisher | Texas A&M | $9,150,000 |
| 8 | Mark Stoops | Kentucky | $9,013,600 |
| 9 | Josh Heupel | Tennessee | $9,000,000 |
| 10 | Lane Kiffin | Mississippi | $9,000,000* |
| Note: Michigan State fired Tucker for cause on Sept. 27. | |||
(Note: USA TODAY’s salary database does not include coaches from private schools whose contracts are not subject to public records requests, including USC’s Lincoln Riley and Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman.)
Day’s guaranteed compensation for the 2023 season is $9.96 million, but USA TODAY’s calculation of his total compensation includes a $250,000 retention bonus he is due to receive if he remains Ohio State’s head coach through the end of January 2024.
