In 2023, Steve Sarkisian led Texas football to a breakthrough season, clinching the Big 12 title and securing a spot in the College Football Playoff. As a result of the Longhorns’ impressive 12-win season, Sarkisian is on the verge of a substantial pay raise. The University of Texas board of regents is expected to approve a contract extension during an upcoming meeting, nearly doubling the coach’s annual salary. According to information obtained by Inside Texas from the board of regents’ meeting agenda, Sarkisian’s new contract includes a $10.3 million salary for 2024 and spans seven years until 2030. The agreement features an annual salary increase of $100,000, culminating in a $10.9 million salary in 2030.
Additionally, the contract entails various perks for Sarkisian, such as two cars, 20 hours of private aircraft flight time per year, club memberships, and a ticket allocation for all Texas games. The deal makes Sarkisian eligible for up to $1.85 million in annual performance incentives, including $1.25 million achievable through winning the College Football Playoff.
Comparatively, Sarkisian’s base salary last season was $5.6 million, ranking 30th among publicly available college football head coaching salaries, according to USA TODAY’s coaching salaries database. With the new $10.3 million annual income, Sarkisian would now be the fourth-highest-paid coach, positioned between Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Ohio State’s Ryan Day, based on 2023 salaries.
Sarkisian’s coaching record at Texas stands at 25–14 over three years, with a conference record of 17–10. The Longhorns are set to embark on SEC play in 2024, joining the league alongside rival Oklahoma.
