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WIU bruinfan
Joined: 8/31/08 Posts: 462
Where UCLA BB coaching pay actually stands
Posted Mon, Mar 24 9:17 am
I've seen people post on here already talking about "UCLA is paying a top 5 salary" when criticizing the program. That is MAJOR spin designed to make UCLA look like it's a top tier paying gig. On the surface, yes Mick Cronin is the 5th highest paid in college basketball for 2025. But in reality he's somewhere around the 20th highest paid coach in the land. First, the "on the surface" figure:

https://sportsdata.usatoday.com/ncaa/salaries/mens-basketball/coach

Now I think we're all intelligent enough here to realize that money doesn't spend in Los Angeles the same as it does in West Lafayette, Indiana or Tuscaloosa, Alabama. So let's factor in cost of living for a TRUE apples to apples comparison. I've done the research!

Here are the Sweet 16 coaches and their salaries when adjusted for LA cost of living:

John Calipari: $12.70 Million
Jon Scheyer: $10.75 M
Tom Izzo: $10.17 M
Rick Barnes: $10.02 M
Bruce Pearl: $9.61 M
Chris Beard: $8.34 M
Nate Oats: $8.25 M
Mark Pope: $8.13 M
Matt Painter: $7.67 M
Kelvin Sampson: $7.30 M
Tommy Lloyd: $6.84 M
Grant McCasland: $6.45 M
Kevin Young: $ 6.26 M

Todd Golden: $5.68 M
Dusty May: $5.19 M
Kevin Willard: $4.31 M

I left an open space where UCLA's Mick Cronin would be, as he makes $6.1 million. That's less than 13 of the 16 coaches in the Sweet 16. Now, here are some other schools eliminated in the 2nd round as UCLA was:

Scott Drew: $8.81 M
Dan Hurley: $8.54 M
Brad Underwood: $7.63 M

Dana Altman: $5.56 M
T.J. Otzelberger: $5.53 M
Greg Gard: $5.53 M
Buzz Williams: $5.52 M

Right now in an apples to apples comparison, UCLA is paying to reach about the second round of the tournament. Bill Self got bounced early & he's being paid more than Cronin before cost of living. Hoiberg in Lincoln, Nebraksa earns $7.52 million cost of living adjusted. So with Self, Hoiberg, the 13 in the Sweet 16 making more, and the 3 others eliminated at the same time that's at least 19 programs paying more in a true apples to apples comparison.