Coach K Was Paid $12.5 Million in 2020–21 Season at Duke, per Report

Now retired, he was the highest-paid collegiate coach by at least $2 million.

Duke’s federal tax filings from 2020–21 have been released, and it appears that coach Mike Krzyzewski’s paycheck resulted in the country’s highest for collegiate coaches by a landslide.

Last year, Coach K made a total of $12.5 million from his combined compensation ($3.3 million), benefits/deferred ($7.2 million) and expenses/etc. ($2 million), according to Sportico. Coach K’s final season paycheck will not be released until next year.

The Duke men’s basketball program reportedly earned $22.5 million during the 2020–21 season, so over half of the team’s earnings went to Coach K.

On top of his earnings from Duke, Coach K has received money through sponsorships or advertisements. Some of those companies include Allstate, American Express and Nike. The now-retired coach also appeared in AT&T commercials during this year’s NCAA tournament.

The second highest-paid college basketball coach, Kansas’ Bill Self, made $10.2 million. Alabama’s Nick Saban earned the most out of any college football coach at $9.8 million. Additionally, Coach K ranks fourth in the nation for earnings made by a coach either in professional or collegiate sports.

Last year’s amount also ranks as Coach K’s highest paycheck in his career. Previously, his highest-paid year was 2011–12, when he earned a total of $9.6 million. In comparison, Coach K made $7.3 in 2019–20. 

The former Duke coach has earned at least $1 million per year since 2004. In his entire 42-year career, he earned over $100 million while coaching at Duke.

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