Lincoln Riley is paid about $11.8 million a year by USC, according to the school’s most recent federal tax return, which covers the 2024 fiscal year. USC is a private school and does not release his contract, but it is widely reported to be a 10 year deal worth about $110 million that he signed when he left Oklahoma in November 2021. That puts him in the top five nationally even though USC has not won a Big Ten title under him.
| Latest reported pay | More than $11.8 million in total compensation for fiscal 2024, per USC’s tax return |
| Year before | More than $11.5 million in 2023, including about $10.2 million in base pay |
| Contract | Not disclosed; widely reported as 10 years and about $110 million |
| First year cost | USC was credited with $19.7 million for Riley in 2022, including the $4.5 million it paid Oklahoma to buy him out |
| Buyout if USC fires him | Not public. Estimates based on the reported deal put it between $80 million and $90 million |
| Housing loan | The 2023 filing listed a USC housing loan with a balance of about $3.4 million |
How It Compares
| Coach | School | Annual pay |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Day | Ohio State | $12.5 million |
| Lincoln Riley | USC | About $11.8 million |
| Dabo Swinney | Clemson | $11.5 million |
| Dan Lanning | Oregon | About $11 million |
Pay figures are from USC’s federal tax returns as reported by the USA Today and the Los Angeles Times. Private school tax filings lag a year or more. The full national list is on our college football coaching salaries page.
Why the Number Is Hard to Pin Down
Public universities have to release coaching contracts. USC does not, so the only official figures come from its federal tax return, which reports total compensation for a fiscal year and is filed more than a year later. That is why Riley’s pay shows up in the news every spring for a season that has already ended, and why the buyout is an estimate rather than a contract figure.
The Bottom Line
Lincoln Riley made about $11.8 million in his most recent reported year at USC, on a contract reported to be 10 years and $110 million. USC does not disclose the terms, so the buyout is estimated at $80 million to $90 million. Follow the Trojans on the USC football schedule, USC score today and USC NIL.