Back in 2015 we shared a popular article highlighting the report that 17 Georgia head high school football coaches were making six-figures or more. As recent as last year, that number was 36 coaches.
Now, that number has more than doubled to 44, according to a report from First Coast News. The report even shares an interactive map of the highest paid coaches, many of which make the bulk of their money as teachers or athletic directors, in the state.
To put that into perspective, a total of 228 assistant coaches, most of which coach at the Group of Five level, made $100,000 or less last year according to the USA Today coaches salary database including Sterlin Gilbert (South Florida), Jeff Kastl (UTSA), Scotty Walden (Southern Miss), Bart Miller (Ohio) dand AJ Milwee (Akron). Kansas assistants Bill Miller and Jeff Love, Florida's Christian Robinson, and Oklahoma's Bob Diaco (who was promoted from an analyst role mid-season) also made the list representing the Power Five.
The state's highest paid head coach - Rush Propst of Colquitt County HS - was let go yesterday following a paid suspension and investigation in a personnel matter. Propst made as much as $141,870 last year, and he doesn't teach any classes or serve in any administrative role, like most of the other coaches that made the list.
Like other reports over the years, this one points out the nearly $36k supplement that Valdosta City School paid their head coach, while adding that Propst got a stipend of $43k just to coach. Those situations certainly aren't the norm though, as a number of other programs paid the leader of their program more in the $3,700 and $6,300 range.
Head coaches aren't the only guys making serious stipend money. Assistants in Georgia can make as much as $14,000 as a coordinator.
As salaries continue to climb in Georgia, where the best coaches are being drawn, Florida - whose coaching stipends haven't changed much in the past decade or more - has lost a handful of their top coaches to neighboring northern states this off season, and it's a trend that shows no sign of slowing down. Many more states offer coaching stipends more in line with what Florida does, but states like Georgia and Texas are leading the way in the high school head coaching compensation.
Head here to read the full article, including a complete list of the 44 coaches (and their schools) that are making more than $100,000 annually.