Football is important in Texas and is an integral part of Texas culture. High school football in Texas has a very high profile. Games draw large crowds and pack large stadiums. Winning is important and Texas high school football coaches are paid very well.
Average Salary
The average salary for a Texas high school football coach is $73,804 for class 4A and 5A high schools, according to an article in the Austin Statesman, a leading newspaper in Texas. Class 4A and 5A high schools have 950 students or more. The data was based on the 2005-06 school year.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statisitcs, the average national mean wage of coaches and scouts in secondary schools was $30,830 in 2009. This places the average salary for high school football coaches in Texas well above the average for the coaching profession in secondary schools nationally.
Five Earn More Than $100,000 Per year
According to the same article in the Austin-American Statesman, five football coaches earn over $100,000 per year. The highest paid coach earned $106,004, while the lowest paid coach earned $42,300. 27 coaches earned more than the respective principals of their schools.
Salaries Higher than Teachers
The average salary for teachers at class 4A and 5A schools in Texas is $42,400. The average salary for a high school football coach at these schools is $73,804.
Longer Hours and Longer Work Year
Texas high school football coaches typically work long hours. Coaches put in 70 to 100 hours per week during the season, while teachers generally work 40 to 70 hours per week. Additionally, coaches contracts are based on a 226 day work year versus 187 days for teachers.
Revenue
Coaches from large, winning programs bring in signifcant revenue which funds other programs. Sam Harrell of Ennis High is the highest paid coach in the state at a salary of $106,004 in 2005-06. His program has brought in at least $200,00 in revenue for five years in a row and has won the 4A state champions three out of five years. Mike Harper, the district superintendent, told the Austin-American Statesman that Harrell is "worth everything we pay him."
