The world of college baseball is a competitive one, with many of the top teams competing for the same players, championships, and accolades. As such, coaches of these programs are highly sought after and can often command large salaries. The highest paid D1 baseball coach is currently Florida State head coach Mike Martin, who has been the head coach of the Seminoles since 1980 and has led the team to an impressive thirty-eight NCAA tournament appearances in his tenure.
Martin’s Salary and Accomplishments
Mike Martin is a legend in the college baseball world, having amassed 2,029 wins over the course of his career. He is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA Division I baseball history. He has led Florida State to sixteen NCAA Regional Championships, eleven College World Series appearances, and two College World Series Championships. His success has earned him the nickname “11” in honor of the number of College World Series appearances he has led the Seminoles to.
For all of his success, Mike Martin is highly compensated by the Florida State University. In the 2018-2019 season, Martin was the highest paid college baseball coach in the nation, with a total salary of $2.7 million. This figure puts him in the upper echelon of all D1 coaches, as the average salary for a Division I baseball coach is $1.3 million.
Other Top-Paid D1 Baseball Coaches
While Mike Martin is the highest paid college baseball coach in the nation, there are several other coaches who command hefty salaries. The University of Texas Longhorns have made a huge commitment to their baseball program and head coach David Pierce, who earns a total salary of $1.9 million and led the team to the 2019 College World Series.
The University of Arizona also has a highly successful baseball program and is paying their head coach, Jay Johnson, a hefty $1.4 million. Johnson is in his third year at Arizona and has already led the team to two NCAA tournament appearances and one College World Series appearance.
The University of Louisville is also paying their head coach, Dan McDonnell, an impressive salary of $1.2 million. McDonnell has been the head coach at Louisville since 2007 and has led the Cardinals to a pair of College World Series appearances and seven NCAA tournament appearances.
Other Notable D1 Coaches
Outside of the top five coaches, there are a number of other notable coaches who make up the top ten highest paid D1 baseball coaches. TCU head coach Jim Schlossnagle is the sixth-highest paid coach in the nation, earning a salary of $1.1 million. Longtime LSU head coach Paul Mainieri is the seventh-highest paid coach, with a total salary of $1 million.
Oregon State head coach Pat Casey is the eighth-highest paid coach with a salary of $900,000. Mississippi State head coach Andy Cannizaro is ninth at $875,000, and Georgia Tech head coach Danny Hall rounds out the top ten with a salary of $845,000.
Conclusion
College baseball is an incredibly competitive sport, and coaches of successful programs can command significant salaries. Mike Martin of Florida State is the highest paid D1 baseball coach in the nation, earning a total salary of $2.7 million in the 2018-2019 season. David Pierce of Texas, Jay Johnson of Arizona, Dan McDonnell of Louisville, and Jim Schlossnagle of TCU are a few of the other coaches who command high salaries for their respective programs. With so much talent and competition in college baseball, coaches at all levels are well compensated for their efforts.