Georgia's Kirby Smart is college football's highest paid coach

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has the highest buyout in all of college football and is the top paid coach

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart remains college football's highest paid head coach according to the USA TODAY football coach salary database. Smart is expected to get paid over $13.2 million for the 2025 contract year.

Smart has won three SEC championship and two national championships during his nine-plus years at Georgia. He's helped the Georgia program reach new heights and is worth the massive amount of compensation he's receiving. Smart broke Georgia's 41-year national title drought with UGA's 2021 national championship win over Alabama.

Smart's total pay is $13,282,580, which is over $500,000 more than the next highest-paid coach (Ohio State's Ryan Day). We have bad news for you if you don't like coach Smart. His buyout is over $105 million, which is easily the largest in all of college football by over $34 million.

Smart holds a 109-20 record entering Georgia's 2025 Week 7 game against Auburn. Smart has impressive records against several of Georgia's rivals including Georgia Tech, Florida, Clemson, Tennessee and Auburn. His one flaw is his poor record against Alabama.

College football's five highest-paid head coaches

ATHENS, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs calls out instructions during the second quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Sanford Stadium on September 27, 2025 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

  1. Kirby Smart, Georgia: $13.2 million
  2. Ryan Day, Ohio State: $12.5 million
  3. Lincoln Riley, USC: $11.5 million
  4. Dabo Swinney, Clemson: $11.4 million
  5. Steve Sarkisian, Texas: $10.8 million

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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: How much is Georgia football coach Kirby Smart paid?

Category: General Sports