This California college coach was paid more than 10 UC chancellors combined. See the data

The state’s highest-paid public employee earned an unprecedented $7.1 million last year, new data show.

Former UCLA Football Coach Chip Kelly earned more in 2023 than the combined pay of all 10 chancellors in the University of California system. His pay last year was roughly 30 times the salary of California’s governor.

(You can search all state employees salaries by using The Bee’s state pay database, which has been updated with 2023 University of California salaries.)

Kelly left UCLA last year and is now the offensive coordinator at the Ohio State University. His record at UCLA last year was 8-5. His record from 2018 through 2024 was 35-34. He was replaced by DeShaun Foster, who reportedly makes less than half of Kelly’s annual salary — $3 million.

Funding for athletics often comes from boosters, sponsors, TV revenue and ticket sales — not taxpayers or students. However, UCLA’s athletic program reported a $36.6 million deficit in the 2023 fiscal year, according to the Los Angeles Times. Athletics received about $2 million from students fees and direct institutional support in a recent budget, and the university forgave about $10 million in debt on athletic facilities, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Other coach’s salaries

Chip Kelly’s $7.1 million pay package last year would put him among the 20 highest-paid coaches in the nation, based on lists compiled by Front Office Sports and 247 Sports. He made $5.8 million in 2022. In total, he earned about $30.5 million during his tenure from 2018 through 2023 — equivalent to roughly $870,000 per win.

Other UC coaches also raked in huge salaries. UC Berkeley Football Coach Justin Wilcox earned about $4.4 million last year. His team was 6-7 in 2023. UCLA Basketball Coach Mike Cronin earned $4.3 million. His team won 16 games and lost 17 last year.

Rounding out the top five highest paid coaches were UC Berkeley Basketball Coach Mark Madsen, who earned $2 million, and former UC Berkeley Basketball Coach Mark Fox, who earned $1.7 million. Madsen’s team won 13 games and lost 19 in 2023. Fox’s team was 3-29 in his last season.

All told, the five highest paid coaches in the University of California system earned $19.4 million last year, up by $7.3 million, or 60%, from a decade earlier. By comparison, inflation increased by about 31% over the same period.