USC Football Head Coaches' Salaries
USC
Pac-12 Conference
2020 Total Pay figures takes into account reductions due to issues caused by COVID-19 pandemic. 2020 Max Bonus amounts not tallied. 2021 Total Pay does not take into account reductions.
Total Pandemic Reductions shown may actually have been lower due to changes made after publication of 2020 figure. For all notes, see below.
Year | Coach | Total Pay | Scheduled School Pay | Other Pay | Contract Year Pandemic Reduction | Actual School Pay | Total Pandemic Pay Reduction | Max Bonus | Prior Year’s Bonus |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Lincoln Riley | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2022 | Lincoln Riley | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2021 | Clay Helton | $4,813,832 | $4,813,832 | — | — | $4,813,832 | — | — | — |
2020 | Clay Helton | $4,569,507 | — | $0 | — | — | — | — | — |
2019 | Clay Helton | $3,218,935 | $3,218,935 | — | $0 | $0 | $0 | — | — |
2018 | Clay Helton | $2,625,965 | $2,625,965 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
2017 | Clay Helton | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
2016 | Clay Helton | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
2015 | Steve Sarkisian | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | — |
2014 | Steve Sarkisian | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | — |
2013 | Lane Kiffin | $2,594,091 | $2,594,091 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | — |
2012 | Lane Kiffin | $2,406,505 | $2,406,505 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | — |
2011 | Lane Kiffin | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | — |
2010 | Lane Kiffin | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | — |
2009 | Pete Carroll | $4,386,652 | $4,386,652 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
2007 | Pete Carroll | $2,794,656 | $2,794,656 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
2006 | Pete Carroll | $2,782,320 | $2,782,320 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Income Notes
- 2021
Helton was fired on Sept. 13, 2021 - 2019
The pay information listed came from federal tax returns. Documents provide compensation for 2017 calendar year based on all income paid by the school or support organizations, including benefits, perks and performance bonuses. - 2018
The pay information listed came from federal tax returns. Documents provide compensation for 2016 calendar year based on all income paid by the school or support organizations, including benefits, perks and performance bonuses. - 2017
The pay information listed came from federal tax returns. Documents provide compensation for 2015 calendar year based all income paid by the school or support organization, including benefits, perks and performance bonuses. - 2016
The pay information listed came from federal tax returns or the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law report. Documents provide compensation for 2014 calendar year based on all income paid by the school or support organization, including benefits, perks and performance bonuses. - 2015
Sarkisian was fired Oct. 12. - 2013
Kiffin was fired Sept. 29. Kiffin had received two loans from the university that balances due of $1.5 million and $500,000, respectively, as of June 30, 2012.
The information below applies to the data obtained for the 2023-2024 contract season: To see the methodology behind this data, click here.
Where the table does not display a number, it means the amount could not be obtained. An asterisk means additional information about the coach's compensation is available by clicking on the number shown.
“School Buyout” figures are the amount a school would owe coach if it fired coach without cause on April 1, 2024. Many of these amounts are expressly subject to coach's duty to make good-faith efforts to find another job, with income from that employment offsetting the amount owed. If mitigation and offset are not addressed in a contract, coach still may have obligation to make efforts in that regard. The amount listed may be owed to coach over an extended period of time, rather than as a lump sum at termination.
Coaches' records are going into 2023-24 season, compiled from information displayed in NCAA statistics database at NCAA Statistics – so they may be impacted by games vacated or forfeited by the NCAA or the schools.
"Record at school" data for Murray State’s Steve Prohm is based on his current tenure at the school.
CREDITS
By Steve Berkowitz, Sean Dougherty, Leo Wotzak and Brad Jennings of USA TODAY; Robert Lattinville of WME, who represents college coaches and athletics directors as well as NCAA member schools.