What is Nick Saban's Net Worth and Salary?
Nick Saban is an American college football head coach who has a net worth of $80 million. Towards the end of his career at Alabama, Nick Saban was the highest-paid college football coach in the world. With base salary and bonuses, Saban easily made over $12 million per year. Countless critics view Nick as the best college football coach in history, and he has achieved some incredible things over the course of his career. Along with a strong win-loss record, Saban is one of only two coaches who have won SEC Championships with different schools.
Nick Saban's coaching journey began in the early 1970s. His first head coaching position was at the University of Toledo in 1990, but his major breakthrough came with Michigan State University, where he served as head coach from 1995 to 1999. Saban's tenure at LSU, from 2000 to 2004, was marked by significant success, including a BCS National Championship in 2003. He briefly ventured into the NFL as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2005-2006 but returned to college football with the University of Alabama in 2007.
At Alabama, Saban has established a dynasty, winning multiple National Championships and consistently keeping the team in the upper echelons of college football. His coaching style, emphasizing discipline, hard work, and meticulous attention to detail, has been a hallmark of his success. Nick announced he was retiring from Alabama in January 2024. His influence extends beyond the field, as he has been instrumental in shaping the lives of his players, many of whom have progressed to successful careers in the NFL.
Contracts and Salary
During his 16 seasons coaching at Alabama, Nick Saban earned $130 million in salary and bonuses.
In June 2014, Saban signed a contract extension with Alabama to keep him at the school through 2022. The total value of the restructured deal was $55.2 million. The contract also stipulated that even if he gets fired at some point, Alabama will still be on the hook for $23 million. His base salary over those eight seasons averaged $6.9 million, a considerable increase compared to his previous salary of $5.6 million per year. With bonuses in 2017, he earned a salary of $11.5 million, which made him the highest-paid coach in college football. In addition, this salary makes Saban the highest-paid public employee in the entire state of Alabama. Nick's salary was so lucrative he rivaled coaches in the NFL and NBA in terms of gross earnings.
Here's a rundown of what Nick Saban's earnings over the course of his contract:
- 2017: $11.5 million
- 2018: $7.15 million
- 2019: $7.55 million
- 2020: $7.55 million
- 2021: $10.35 million
- 2022: $11.2 million
- 2023: $11.7 million
In June 2021, Nick signed a new 8-year contract with Alabama worth $70.6 million. His base salary under the new deal is $8.8 million. In August 2022, Nick signed an extension on top of the contract he signed just a year earlier. This extension ballooned his contract to $93.6 million, at an average annual salary of $11.7 million.
As it turns out, Nick chose to retire in January 2024, just two seasons into his 8-year, $70.6 million contract.
Dream Motor Group
Saban co-owns Dream Motor Group, a luxury car dealership chain focused primarily on Mercedes-Benz. The exact details of Saban's ownership stake in Dream Motor Group are not publicly available. In November 2023, it was revealed that Dream Motor Group made a major splash by acquiring two Mercedes-Benz dealerships in South Florida for a staggering $700 million. This significantly expanded their presence in the region and solidified their position as a major player in the luxury car market. Some Dream Motor Group locations offer the exclusive "Nick Saban Signature Series" of Mercedes-Benz vehicles. These cars feature special customizations chosen by Saban himself, catering to fans and luxury car enthusiasts alike. The group currently boasts nine dealerships across the Southern United States:
- Alabama: Two dealerships in Birmingham
- Louisiana: One dealership in Baton Rouge
- Florida: Two dealerships in Coral Gables and Cutler Bay (recently acquired)
- Tennessee: One dealership in Nashville
- Texas: One dealership in Houston
Early Life
Nick Saban was born on October 31st, 1951, in Fairmont, West Virginia. Raised in the small town of Monongah alongside his sister, Nick eventually attended West Virginia State University. Once there, he played on the championship team. He then attended Kent State University, obtaining his bachelor's degree in business before graduating with a master's degree in sports administration in 1975. While at Kent State, Nick Saban played defensive back for the football team and played under coach Don James.
Career
Nick Saban began his career by acting as assistant coach for Syracuse University, West Virginia University, Ohio State University, the Naval Academy, and Michigan State University. This period helped Saban gain valuable experience, and it lasted from 1977 to 1987. His long-term goal was to return to Kent State as their new head coach, but Dick Crum was hired instead.
After a brief stint as assistant coach for the Houston Oilers in the NFL, Saban received an offer to act as head coach for the University of Toledo in 1989. The team was instantly transformed with Nick's leadership, losing only two games in the 1990 season.
After just one season at Toledo, Saban resigned so that he could take a position as defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns. Although he stayed in this role for the next four years, Nick later regretted his choice and stated it was one of the worst periods of his entire career.
Just before the 1995 season, Saban became the new head coach for Michigan State University. After a rough few seasons, he gradually improved the Spartans, leading them to a strong year in 1999 with only two losses. Following this successful last season at Michigan State, Nick Saban moved to LSU. During his five years coaching the Tigers, he led them to a BCS National Championship.
In 2004, Nick Saban returned to the NFL once again as the new head coach for the Miami Dolphins. The team struggled during the first season, and injuries made the second season even more disappointing. Rumors circulated that Saban was being considered for Alabama State University's head coach position, and it soon became obvious that Nick was returning to college football.
In 2007, Saban officially began his tenure as head coach of the Crimson Tide. He then led the team to a perfect second season with a 12-0 win record. The team then made it to the SEC Championship game, and Nick won a number of Coach of the Year awards. The Crimson Tide finished the season undefeated once again in 2010, and they also won the national championship. Over the next few years, The Crimson Tide developed a reputation for completely routing teams. In 2012 and 2013, they won back-to-back national championships.
Over the next couple years, The Crimson Tide achieved top rankings and amassed a number of additional championship titles. After a somewhat slow start to 2015, the team reached top form once again. In 2017, Saban won his first Sugar Bowl title. In the 2019 season, Alabama was brought down to Earth, suffering more than two defeats for the first time since 2010 and failing to qualify for the College Football Playoffs. But in 2020, the Crimson Tide returned to form and won the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship over No. 3 Ohio State 52-24 for the University's 18th National Championship. The win gave Saban his seventh overall National Title and sixth with Alabama, surpassing Paul Bryant for most titles of all time.
On January 10, 2024, Nick announced he was stepping down from his Alabama coaching job after 16 seasons and roughly $130 million in earnings.
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Real Estate
In 2007, Saban and his wife, Terry, purchased a home in Tuscaloosa for about $2.9 million. In 2013, Saban sold his 8,700-square-foot property to the Crimson Tide Foundation for $3.1 million. This was ostensibly part of Saban's deal with the university, and he continued to live in the property even after he had sold it.
In this way, the Crimson Tide Foundation was able to provide housing for Saban, paying the property taxes and other fees. This is a relatively common practice, as the university also purchased Bear Bryant's house in a similar fashion years earlier.
Nick Saban also has a history of buying real estate on Lake Burton in the North Georgia Mountains. He purchased one property that featured 9,600 square feet of living space and 1.7 acres of land. The property is flanked by forests and sits right on the water, with over 700 feet of lake frontage. In 2013, Saban sold this home through an auction for just under $11 million. After selling this property, he didn't have to move far. At the time of the auction, Nick's family already owned a second home on Lake Burton with a similar value.
In the spring of 2023, Saban purchased a $17.5 million beachfront home on Jupiter Island in Florida. The 6,200-square-foot house was originally listed at $21.5 million.
Personal Life
Nick Saban and his wife, Terry, have been married for over 50 years, and the couple has two children together: Nicholas and Kristen.
The Sabans are the co-founders of the Nick's Kids foundation which raised more than $1 million over Nick's first three years at Alabama.
