Last week, Penn State published its annual financial disclosure of the universityโs highest paid employees. This complies with Pennsylvaniaโs โRight To Knowโ law that publishes the salaries and compensation of executives and key employees for public institutions funded with taxpayer dollars.
Five of the top seven salaries are individuals from the athletic department. The numbers are from the fiscal year starting July 1, 2023 and ending June 30, 2024.
How do those salaries compare across the nation? Letโs examine.ย
Cael Sanderson ahead of Penn State’s bout with Iowa.
No. 7 Cael Sanderson
2023-2024 W-2 Income: $964,455
2023-2024 Estimate Income From Other Organizations: $52,845
It has been often speculated what Sanderson was compensated by Penn State. When Sandersonโs salary information was released,it confirmed to many that Sanderson was compensated amongst the best in the nation.
Former Sanderson pupil, Oklahoma State head coach David Taylor is recognized as officially the first wrestling coach to make more than $1 million per season.ย
Taylor’s six-year contract, which runs through March 31, 2030, includes $30,000 raises each year, a one-time payment of $1 million, and other performance incentives.ย
In total, Taylorโs contract is worth $6.45 million over the six year contract he signed in 2024.
Sanderson is widely seen as the best active NCAA wrestling coach and trails Dan Gable (15) of Iowa for most NCAA team national championships.
Taylor is scheduled to make $1 million for his 2024-25 campaign, and potentially $80,000 in bonuses for a third-place team finish at the 2025 Menโs Wrestling Championships ($60,000) along with Dean Hamati Jr. and Wyatt Hendrickson winning individual championships ($20,000).
Some may say Sandersonโs total compensation of $1,017,300ย might be underpaid.ย
Mike Yurcich
No. 6 Mike Yurcich
2023-2024 W-2 Income: $1,220,552ย
2023-2024 Estimate Income From Other Organizations: $54,329
High end coordinators are becoming the norm in college football, with Penn State being no stranger to that.ย
Another norm that many universities endure is the guaranteed money they have to compensate fired coaches. Think Texas A&M paying former head coach Jimbo Fisher $77 million to go away.ย
Penn State doesnโt have that large negative debt, but former offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich was the sixth highest compensated individual by Penn State between 2023-2024.ย
Yurcich was relieved of his duties following Penn Stateโs loss to Michigan in 2023. Penn Stateโs offense was ineffective in the big games only scoring 27 points against Michigan and Ohio State.ย
One has to assume in the next report, current offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki will be near the top.
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is the reportedly highest paid coordinator in college football with a salary of $3.1 million per season.
Photo by Penn State Athletics: Pat Kraft
No. 5 Pat Kraft
2023-2024 W-2 Income: $1,343,200ย
2023-2024 Estimate Income From Other Organizations: $60,195
Penn State has enjoyed one of its finest athletic seasons in program history with nine programs reaching their sportโs final four (menโs lacrosse, men & womenโs volleyball and hockey, menโs wrestling, football, womenโs soccer, menโs gymnastics).
This all bodes well for Kraft, whose vision is to create an athletic dynasty across all sports.ย
According to this 2024 Sportskeedia article, Kraft finds himself just outside the top 10 with Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek at No. 10 at $1.5 million per season.
The top paid athletic director nationally is Texasโ Chris Del Conte at $2.85 million with Ohio Stateโs Ross Bjork tops all Big Ten athletic directors at $2 million per season.ย
Overall, Kraft is excelling at cultivating a championship culture on the field. How Kraft manages major projects, notably the Beaver Stadium revitalization, can see a major boon in his salary.
Kraftโs predecessor, Sandy Barbour, was consistently paid amongst the Top 10 athletic directors nationalโs ranking as high as No. 9 in 2021, according to ADU.ย
Penn State Nittany Lions guard Ace Baldwin Jr. (1) and head coach Mike Rhoades. (Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images)
No. 2 Mike Rhoades
2023-2024 W-2 Income: $4,179,451ย
2023-2024 Estimate Income From Other Organizations: $50,548
Some may view Rhoades’ nearly $4.3 million salary as being overpaid with his .500 record (32-32) at Penn State.
That is a fair take, but when you consider the excitement during Micah Shrewsberryโs final season where he took Penn State to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011 and led them to their first Tournament victory since Penn Stateโs Sweet 16 appearance in 2001, it generated an excitement that many feel is worth the investment.
The half full portion of the compensation, according to USA Today, Rhoades is ranked No. 39 nationally in salaries paid directory from the school.
The half-empty portion of the compensation is amongst Big Ten coaches, Rhoades is ranked No. 13 out of the 17 known salaries – USCโs Eric Musselmanโs salary was not available in USA Todayโs data.ย
MADISON, WI – OCTOBER 26: Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin watches a replay on the screen durning a college football game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Wisconsin Badgers on October 26th, 2024 at Barry Alvarez field inside Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, WI. (Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire)
No. 1 James Franklin
2023-2024 W-2 Income: $8,573,305
2023-2024 Estimate Income From Other Organizations: $55,502
The obvious from Penn Stateโs annual financial disclosure is indeed the highest paid employee is ย Franklin.ย
According to USA Todayโs college football coaching salary database from 2024, Franklin is No. 13 nationally at his $8.5 million per year salary.
The argument can be had that Penn State is getting an excellent bargain at that salary. Franklin has more College Football Playoff wins (2) than Florida Stateโs Mike Norvell ($10 million), USCโs Lincoln Riley ($10.1 million), Coloradoโs Deion Sanders ($10 million), North Carolinaโs Bill Belichick ($10 million), LSUโs Brian Kelly ($9.9 million), Kentuckyโs Mark Stoops, Ole Missโ Lane Kiffin, Missouriโs Eli Drinkwitz, and Tennesseeโs Josh Heupel ($9 million).
You can understand the figure for Belichick, considering he won six Super Bowls with the NFLโs New England Patriots. But Franklinโs four wins in New Yearโs Six bowls equals the combined total nine coaches listed above who are compensated more than Franklin.
So, one could argue that James Franklin is, indeed, underpaid.
