Three hundred colleges and universities make up Division II schools. They are divided into different Divisions so that schools of similar resources and size can compete against each other. In general, Division II schools aren't able to devote as much financial resources to their athletics programs as Division I schools, or sometimes, they simply choose not to.

A Comparison of Two Division II Schools

The Bureau of Labor doesn't parse out average coaching salaries depending on Division or sport, but it does list the overall average coaching salary as $47,020 at colleges, universities and professional schools in 2020. It's difficult to find an average for specific types of coaching salaries because it depends on the Division, the sport, whether it's the men's or women's team, and other factors. Here's a look at two Division II schools and what they paid several of their coaches in 2016. Salaries are rounded up to the nearest thousand.

Augusta University, Georgia: The head coach of the women's softball team at Augusta University was paid a salary of $54,000 in 2016. The men's head baseball coach came in slightly higher at $60,000. The head men's basketball coach earned $82,000 that same year. The men's golf coach at Augusta made close to $79,000 in 2016, while the head women's volleyball coach earned close to $49,000.

University of Southern Indiana: The varsity baseball coach made a salary of $73,000 in 2016, and the head women's softball coach earned $47,000. The men's tennis coach earned $36,000 that same year. The women's head soccer coach made $37,500, and the head of the men's soccer team earned $45,000. The head of the men and women's cross-country team earned $50,000 in 2016, and the varsity volleyball coach earned a salary of $42,000.

Athletic Directors

An athletic director usually runs the entire school's athletic programs. This position also requires a good deal of fundraising for the athletic department. According to the National Association of College Director of Athletics (NACDA), athletic directors at Division-II colleges make an average annual salary of $74,149. In addition, they earn an average bonus or additional compensation of $1,625.

On the upper end of the spectrum, 7 percent of Division-II athletic directors earn more than $100,000 with annual additional compensation of $10,000, while 8 percent earn only $50,000 with no additional compensation. Coaching is often a labor of love. Salaries don't get very high until you reach the Division I level, where coaches are generally paid a great deal of money.