Mike Norvell's Salary at Florida State: A Look at His Coaching Compensation

By Jason Bolton August 16, 2024 06:30

Photo by Getty Images

The Mike Norvell hire in December 2019 thrust him into the faces of every college football fan, with Norvell now the head coach at Florida State. The odyssey of this recently-extended GM to one of the premier spots in his profession led many to think about what he should be paid for the job. Here is a deeper dive into what that means, how it compares to other coaching deals at the top of college football, and why Mike Norvell's FSU contract might change everything.

A Snapshot of Mike Norvell's Coaching Career

After starting as a grad assistant at the University of Pittsburgh, Mike Norvell held numerous positions at colleges before landing with Arizona State. He was lauded for his coaching prowess and leadership talent, earning him a head coaching position at Memphis in 2016. During his time in Memphis, Norvell enjoyed success with a 22-4 record over the past two seasons and winning an American Athletic Conference championship last year.

Norvell was hired as the head coach at Florida State University in December 2019, inheriting a program that had somewhat declined. He struggled in his first few seasons, leading the purple and gold to bowl victories at both Boston College during one of its best stretches ever, NC State, once they'd made a New Year's Six games with just Dave Doeren as a coach for similar reasons. It went 8-5 on average between you over your last year; his success resulted in the university giving him an extension of his juicy contract in 2023.

Norvell's Contract and Compensation Package Details

Base Salary

Mike Norvell's base salary is expected to rise with each year of his new contract extension signed in February 2023. Here are the specifics of his salary:

2023: $5.335 million
2024: $7.335 million
2025: $10.150 million
2026: $10.300 million
2027: $10.450 million
2028: $10.600 million
2029: $8.585 million
2030: $10.090 million
2031: $11.050 million

The contract extension extends Norvell through Dec 31, 2031, and includes an average annual compensation of roughly $8.05 million, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football.

Bonuses and Incentives

Along with a $2.6 million base salary, Norvell would have the opportunity to earn various performance-based bonuses and incentives that could greatly increase his total compensation as outlined in his contract. Key bonuses include:

$100,000 to play in any non-playoff bowl
$250,000 if he makes the initial round of the College Football Playoff
$250k for losing semis
$750,000 National championship game
$950K for a National Title
$100,000 for College coach of the year

Additional Compensation

Norvell will also receive personal use of a private aircraft for up to 30 hours and business-related travel expenses. In addition, he can receive up to $200,000 in bonuses based on football players' academic performance as calculated by the Academic Progress Rate (APR).

Comparison with Other Coaches

Among 130 FBS Head Coaches, Norvell is among the highest-paid and top earners in the ACC. By comparison, that 2024 salary is higher than all but a handful of the upper-echelon coaches in college football, including such luminaries as Clemson's Dabo Swinney (net worth nearly $115 million) and North Carolina's Mack Brown. Florida State is also willing to pay for that experience, as Norvell's salary places him in the top six nationally among all football coaches.

The Cost Of Florida State's Football Program

The university's commitment to Norvell throughout his salary and compensation package demonstrates the bigger monetary vision for its sports program at Florida State. Florida State is historically good at football, and the current administration understands that keeping up with recruiting ratings matters as much as what transpires on gamedays. Given how much money the football program makes in ticket sales, apparel, and TV contracts to pay for those huge coaching salaries.

Simply, this commitment to quality costs money, and it raises other issues about where the resources are coming from. This has drawn some attention to whether having a heavy athletic program at a university with great athletics will have a wider impact. Few athletic departments, including Florida State's, have the luxury of balancing their budget while paying top salaries to coaches.

What Goes into Paying Norvell

Many variables went into deciding what Norvell was getting paid. Key factors were his track record at Memphis and, more specifically, his ability to rejuvenate a stagnant Florida State football program. The structure of college football makes this more difficult.

The salary and compensation package for Mike Norvell at Florida State University reflects his success as a coach and his interest in getting back atop college football. Be it his fat new contract, additional performance-based insurance policies, or an encouraging administration, Norvell is set up well to become the man who brings Florida State football back.