Illinois coach Brad Underwood is the 14th highest-paid coach in college basketball and trails three other Big Ten Conference coaches, according to USA TODAY Sports’ annual analysis of coaches’ compensation released Thursday.
Underwood’s salary has remained steady the last three seasons. His total pay is $4.8 million for 2025, up from his $4.7 million in 2024 and $4.6 in 2023. He went from $2.8 million to $3.5 million from 2018 to 2022.
The Big Ten has 10 coaches in the top 26, according to the report. Underwood is behind Tom Izzo of Michigan State, UCLA’s Mick Cronin and Purdue’s Matt Painter.
The Southeastern Conference has six of the top 12 highest-paid coaches, but No. 1 overall is from the Big 12. Kansas coach Bill Self tops the list with total pay of $8.8 million.
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Here are the highest paid coaches in the Big Ten for 2025, along with national rank:
Big Ten Conference basketball coach pay 2025
- Tom Izzo, Michigan State | $6.2 million, 4th nationally
- Mick Cronin, UCLA | $6.1 million, 5th nationally
- Matt Painter, Purdue | $4.85 million, 13th nationally
- Brad Underwood, Illinois | $4.8 million, 14th nationally
- Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska | $4.75 million, 15th nationally
- Mike Woodson, Indiana | $4.2 milllion, 19th nationally
- Kevin Willard, Maryland | $4.1 million, 22nd nationally
- Dana Altman, Oregon | $4.0 million, 23rd nationally
- Greg Gard, Wisconsin | $3.9 million, 25th nationally
- Steve Pikiell, Rutgers | $3.8 million, 26th nationally
- Danny Sprinkle, Washington | $3.65 million, 31st nationally
- Dusty May, Michigan | $3.63 million, 32nd nationally
- Mike Rhoades, Penn State | $3.5 million, 39th nationally
- Fran McCaffery, Iowa | $3.4 million, 40th nationally
- Chris Collins, Northwestern | $3.28 million, 41st nationally
- Jake Diebler, Ohio State | $2.5 million, 55th nationally
- Ben Johnson, Minnesota | $2.08 million, 63rd nationally
- Eric Musselman, USC | unavailable
How much does Brad Underwood make?
In addition to $4.8 million base salary, Underwood can receive a maximum bonus of $1.075 million annually. In 2023-24, he earned $335,000 in bonuses.
Underwood’s contract buyout for Illinois is $25.9 million, which ranks fourth among college basketball coaches. UConn’s Dan Hurley is at the top that category with a buyout of $42.8 million.
Underwood is 162-99 in eight seasons at Illinois, with six straight 20-win seasons including 2025. The Illini are expected to make their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament.