Report: Jim Harbaugh is highest-paid college coach to take a pay cut

Some college coaches are taking pay cuts to help ease the financial losses that schools are expected to have as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and Jim Harbaugh may be leading the way at the top.

Harbaugh and University of Michigan men’s basketball coach Juwan Howard took 10 percent pay cuts as Michigan faces a $26 million athletic department deficit. Based on the research by ESPN for an excellent piece, Harbaugh is the highest-paid coach in college sports who took a cut.

At $7.5 million, Harbaugh is tied with Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher for being the third-highest paid college football coach in the country. They are tied for the fourth-highest salary in college sports; Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari makes more than both of them. A 10 percent cut would put Harbaugh’s pay at $6,750,000.

Though Harbaugh is the highest-paid coach to take a cut based on ESPN’s research, that does not mean he is sacrificing the most in terms of percentage. There are others taking higher percentage cuts, including Arizona’s Sean Miller and Kevin Sumlin, who are taking 20 percent cuts.

The entire analysis is worth your time if you are interested.

Harbaugh is in his sixth season at Michigan. Though he’s had three double-digit win seasons in five years and four top-20 finishes, many would argue that the Wolverines’ performance on the field has not matched his status as one of the highest-paid coaches in the country.