While Texas A&M’s Bucky McMillan isn’t one of the highest-paid head coaches in college basketball, he certainly proved why he should be.
When McMillan was hired on April 4, 2025, he inherited a roster with only one scholarship player. Bucky recruited an impressive haul of transfer stars and turned Texas A&M into a national contender in just his first year at the helm. The Aggies secured a win over Saint Mary’s in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Houston in the second round.
Texas A&M was an elite competitor at the top of the SEC throughout much of the season. Still, veteran head coaches like John Calipari, Rick Barnes and Todd Golden provided the league with extremely difficult obstacles to overcome, which is why they rank as the top-three highest-paid head coaches in the conference.
Here is where every SEC men’s basketball head coach ranked in annual salary during the 2025-2026 athletic year:
1. John Calipari (Arkansas)
2025-2026 record: 28-9 (13-5 in SEC play)
Total pay: $7,750,000
School pay: $7,750,000
Other pay: N/A
Maximum bonus: N/A
School buyout: $22,203,125
2. Rick Barnes (Tennessee)
2025-2026 record: 25-12 (11-7 in SEC play)
Total pay: $6,200,000
School pay: $6,200,000
Other pay: N/A
Maximum bonus: $3,000,000
School buyout: $12,250,000
3. Todd Golden (Florida)
2025-2026 record: 27-8 (16-2 in SEC play)
Total pay: $6,000,000
School pay: $5,750,000
Other pay: $250,000
Maximum bonus: $650,000
School buyout: $34,000,000
4. Chris Beard (Ole Miss)
2025-2026 record: 15-20 (4-14 in SEC play)
Total pay: $6,000,000
School pay: $1,150,000
Other pay: $4,850,000
Maximum bonus: $875,000
School buyout: $23,625,000
5. Nate Oats (Alabama)
2025-2026 record: 25-10 (13-5 in SEC play)
Total pay: $5,510,000
School pay: $5,510,000
Other pay: $0
Maximum bonus: $850,000
School buyout: $26,913,440
6. Mark Pope (Kentucky)
2025-2026 record: 22-14 (10-8 in SEC play)
Total pay: $5,250,000
School pay: $5,250,000
Other pay: N/A
Maximum bonus: $700,000
School buyout: $12,937,500
7. Sean Miller (Texas)
2025-2026 record: 21-15 (9-9 in SEC play)
Total pay: $5,055,000
School pay: $5,055,000
Other pay: N/A
Maximum bonus: $850,000
School buyout: $22,950,000
8. Chris Jans (Mississippi State)
2025-2026 record: 13-19 (5-13 in SEC play)
Total pay: $4,400,000
School pay: $4,400,000
Other pay: $0
Maximum bonus: $825,000
School buyout: $12,000,000
9. Dennis Gates (Missouri)
2025-2026 record: 20-13 (10-8 in SEC play)
Total pay: $4,200,000
School pay: $4,200,000
Other pay: $0
Maximum bonus: $655,000
School buyout: $13,020,833
10. Lamont Paris (South Carolina)
2025-2026 record: 13-19 (4-14 in SEC play)
Total pay: $4,000,000
School pay: $4,000,000
Other pay: $0
Maximum bonus: $765,000
School buyout: $12,025,000
11. Michael White (Georgia)
2025-2026 record: 22-11 (10-8 in SEC play)
Total pay: $3,910,000
School pay: $3,910,000
Other pay: N/A
Maximum bonus: $450,000
School buyout: $16,031,875
12. Porter Moser (Oklahoma)
2025-2026 record: 21-16 (7-11 in SEC play)
Total pay: $3,300,000
School pay: $3,400,000
Other pay: $0
Maximum bonus: $270,000
School buyout: $6,075,000
13. Bucky McMillan (Texas A&M)
2025-2026 record: 22-12 (11-7 in SEC play)
Total pay: $3,075,000
School pay: $3,075,000
Other pay: N/A
Maximum bonus: $850,000
School buyout: $10,400,000
14. Steven Pearl (Auburn)
2025-2026 record: 22-16 (7-11 in SEC play)
Total pay: $3,000,000
School pay: $3,000,000
Other pay: N/A
Maximum bonus: $1,425,000
School buyout: $6,125,000
15. Matt McMahon (LSU)
2025-2026 record: 15-17 (3-15 in SEC play)
Total pay: $2,905,000
School pay: $2,900,000
Other pay: $5,000
Maximum bonus: $625,000
School buyout: $8,020,000
16. Mark Byington (Vanderbilt)
2025-2026 record: 27-9 (11-7 in SEC play)
Total pay: N/A
School pay: N/A
Other pay: N/A
Maximum bonus: N/A
School buyout: N/A
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Where does Bucky McMillan rank among SEC basketball coach salaries?
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