Top 15 Highest-Paid College Baseball Coaches For 2026

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LSU coach Jay Johnson (Photo by Isaac Wasserman/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

College baseball coaching salaries donâ€t touch the stratosphere of those in football or menâ€s basketball, but the industry has seen a sharp rise in recent years. 

More coaches than ever now clear the $1 million mark annually. This offseason alone produced landmark contracts, as LSUâ€s Jay Johnson became the highest-paid coach in the sportâ€s history and Mississippi Stateâ€s Brian Oâ€Connor joined the exclusive group making at least $2 million per year.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of the top 15 head coaching salaries in college baseball. The order reflects average annual pay before bonuses, based on documents obtained by Baseball America.

1. Jay Johnson (LSU)

• Average annual salary: $3.35 million

On the heels of its second national championship in three years, LSU finalized a new contract with Johnson that made him the highest-paid coach in college baseball. The deal starts at $3.05 million, edging past Tennesseeâ€s Tony Vitello, whose $3 million salary previously set the market. They are now the only two coaches in the country earning more than $3 million annually. Johnsonâ€s salary will climb by $100,000 each year until it reaches $3.65 million, with the contract running through 2032. Itâ€s a gaudy but well-earned figure for one of the gameâ€s brightest minds.

2. Tony Vitello (Tennessee)

• Average annual salary: $3 million

After guiding Tennessee to the 2024 national championship, Vitello signed a new deal that briefly made him the sportâ€s highest-paid coach. While he no longer holds that title, the Volunteers†head coach will always hold the crown as the sportâ€s first to reach the $3 million mark. His contract runs through 2029, cementing his place near the top of the profession alongside Johnson.

3. Brian Oâ€Connor (Mississippi State)

• Average annual salary: $2.9 million

How do you attract one of college baseballâ€s most accomplished coaches? You pay him like it. Mississippi State lured Oâ€Connor away from Virginia with a massive contract averaging $2.9 million annually, immediately placing him among the highest-paid skippers in the country. Oâ€Connor, who guided the Cavaliers to a national championship and multiple Omaha trips, now anchors the Bulldogs†future in the SEC with a deal that reflects both his pedigree and the escalating salary market.

4. Tim Corbin (Vanderbilt)

• Average annual salary: $2.45 million

Because Vanderbilt is a private school, Corbinâ€s salary isnâ€t available through public records. But tax documents and industry sources place his average annual pay at $2.45 million. That makes him one of just five coaches whose compensation eclipses the $2 million mark. Widely regarded as one of the sportâ€s all-time greats, Corbin is one of only 17 coaches to win multiple national championships.

5. Jim Schlossnagle (Texas)

• Average annual salary: $2.2 million

When Schlossnagle left Texas A&M for rival Texas in 2024, he signed a backloaded deal that paid $1 million in each of its first two years before climbing to $2.68 million annually over the final five seasons. The average works out to $2.2 million, placing him firmly among the sportâ€s elite earners. His move within the Lone Star State ruffled plenty of feathers in College Station, but money talks, and the Longhorns spared nothing to secure one of college baseballâ€s best.

6. Tim Tadlock (Texas Tech)

• Average annual salary: $1.89 million

Tadlock signed a rolling seven-year deal in 2021 that automatically extends by a year unless the school notifies him otherwise by Aug. 15. The contract includes a unique provision requiring biannual reviews to ensure his compensation “remains in the top five†in the sport. He currently ranks sixth, though, after Jay Johnsonâ€s recent extension reset the market. Sources place Tadlockâ€s average annual salary at $1.89 million, with his next salary review scheduled for September 2027. He remains the sportâ€s highest-paid non-SEC coach.

7. Kevin Oâ€Sullivan (Florida)

• Average annual salary: $1.84 million

Oâ€Sullivan signed an extension before the 2024 season that made him the nationâ€s second-highest paid coach at the time and secured his place in Gainesville through 2033. Since taking over in 2008, he has guided Florida to more College World Series appearances than any other active coach, highlighted by the programâ€s 2017 national championship. His $1.84 million average salary reflects both his longevity and consistent success.

8. Mike Bianco (Ole Miss)

• Average annual salary: $1.625 million

Bianco, the longest-tenured coach in the SEC, carries an average annual salary of $1.625 million. He delivered the Rebels their first national championship in 2022, cementing his legacy in Oxford and ensuring his place among the sportâ€s highest earners.

9. Butch Thompson (Auburn)

• Average annual salary: $1.5 million

Following a 41-win season and a near-miss of the College World Series, Auburn extended Thompson through 2031 on a deal worth $1.5 million annually. The contract features two potential rollover years tied to NCAA Tournament appearances, which could carry it through 2033. There are also performance incentives that can elevate his total compensation.

10. Dave Van Horn (Arkansas)

• Average annual salary: $1.45 million

One of the best coaches yet to win a national championship, Van Horn has built a reputation for elite player development and sustained success in Fayetteville. His contract runs through 2031 at an average of $1.45 million, which rounds out the top 10.

11. Erik Bakich (Clemson)

• Average annual salary: $1.4 million

Bakichâ€s first two years at Clemson were strong enough that the school quickly extended him through 2030. The deal boosted his salary to $1.4 million annually, a figure that placed him inside the top 10 nationally at the time. Now, he has the Tigers on the cusp of a College World Series return, with his compensation reflecting the programâ€s upward trajectory.

12. Dan McDonnell (Louisville)

• Average annual salary: $1.35 million

McDonnell, one of the sportâ€s most consistent winners, earns an average annual salary of $1.35 million. Since taking over in 2007, he has elevated Louisville into a national power, guiding the Cardinals to six College World Series appearances and setting the standard for ACC consistency. McDonnell, like several other coaches on this list, has seen his salary grow with the sport, having served in his role for nearly two decades.

13. Paul Mainieri (South Carolina)

• Average annual salary: $1.3 million

South Carolina lured Mainieri out of retirement before the 2025 season with a deal that averages $1.3 million annually and places him among the top 15 highest-paid coaches in the nation. Year one was rocky, as the Gamecocks stumbled to a 28-29 record and just six SEC wins, but Mainieri and his staff responded with a massive transfer portal haul aimed at jump-starting a turnaround.

14. Wes Johnson (Georgia)

• Average annual salary: $1.3 million

Amid offseason rumors linking him to other jobs, Johnson this year reaffirmed his commitment to Georgia by signing an extension through 2031 that raised his average annual salary to $1.3 million. Originally hired ahead of the 2024 season, he quickly revitalized a program that had missed the NCAA Tournament in six of the previous nine years and hadnâ€t advanced past regionals since 2008. Johnson is the winningest coach through two seasons in Georgia history, guiding the Bulldogs to a super regional in year two and positioning them as a national seed contender.

15. Skip Johnson (Oklahoma)

• Average annual salary: $1.28 million

Johnson earns an average annual salary of $1.28 million, placing him just inside the top 15 nationally. Since taking over in 2018, he has guided Oklahoma to steady improvement—highlighted by a trip to the 2022 College World Series finals—and positioned the Sooners as a consistent Big 12 contender. Now in the SEC, the challenge is steeper, and his compensation reflects the step up in competition, aligning him with many of his new peers.

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