Brad Underwood’s Ranking in Sweet 16 Basketball Coach Salaries Revealed
The remaining Sweet 16 coaches are among college basketball’s top earners. Only two teams left hold seeds worse than six: No. 9 Iowa and No. 11 Texas.
Eleven of the 16 head coaches make at least $5 million per year. UConn’s Dan Hurley leads the group at $8.3 million annually.
Hurley signed a six-year, $50 million contract in 2024. The deal followed interest from the NBA Lakers after back-to-back national titles.
Salaries of Sweet 16 head coaches
| Coach | School | Annual salary | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Hurley | UConn | $8.3 million | Six-year, $50M deal signed in 2024 |
| John Calipari | Arkansas | $7.5 million | $7M base plus $500K retention pay |
| Tom Izzo | Michigan State | $7.2 million | |
| Jon Scheyer | Duke | $7 million | New contract signed in October; Duke is private |
| Rick Barnes | Tennessee | $6 million | |
| Kelvin Sampson | Houston | $5.5 million | |
| Nate Oats | Alabama | $5.5 million | |
| Brad Underwood | Illinois | $5.5 million | $4.4M base plus $1.1M performance retention |
| Sean Miller | Texas | $5.3 million | |
| Tommy Lloyd | Arizona | $5.1 million | |
| Fred Hoiberg | Nebraska | $5 million | |
| Matt Painter | Purdue | $4.85 million | |
| Dusty May | Michigan | $4.6 million | |
| T.J. Otzelberger | Iowa State | $4 million | |
| Ben McCollum | Iowa | $3.35 million | |
| Rick Pitino | St. John’s | $3.3 million | Offered a raise and a new three-year deal to consider |
Contract highlights
- Dan Hurley’s deal averages $8.3 million per year across six seasons.
- John Calipari’s total includes a $500,000 annual retention payment.
- Jon Scheyer signed a new contract in October; Duke’s private status limits public details.
- Brad Underwood’s $5.5 million includes a $1.1 million retention bonus due this summer.
- St. John’s has proposed a multi-year raise for Rick Pitino, pending his decision.
Market outlook
Coaching pay is likely to climb in the coming months. Openings at North Carolina and possibly Kansas will drive demand.
That pressure should push compensation higher for several high-profile names. Filmogaz.com will continue tracking changes.
Brad Underwood ranks among the Sweet 16 payroll leaders in this breakdown of basketball coach salaries revealed here.
