Division III is the largest division in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), by the number of participating athletes. Currently, there are 448 colleges in this division and approximately 40 percent of all NCAA student athletes compete in Division III. During the 2018-19 school year, the NCAA dedicated $31.5 million of its budget to Division III athletic programs. Scholarships are not offered to athletes who attend Division III schools. A greater emphasis is often put on academics at these institutions.

The salary of a Division III football coach is hard to pin down, as the schools vary widely and salaries are not published.

Coach Salaries by State and City

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the average salary of college coaches to be $43,490. This varies depending on the school, but the state or city in which you live can also make a difference.

Top paying states for college coaches alongside their annual mean wage:

• District of Columbia = $56,770
  
• Hawaii = $54,610
  
• West Virginia = $54,140
  
• Louisiana = $54,020
  
• New Jersey = $52,100
  

Top-paying metropolitan areas for college coaches alongside their annual mean wage:

• Morgantown, WV = $95,400
  
• Tuscaloosa, AL = $88,320
  
• Athens-Clarke County, GA = $86,280
  
• Auburn - Okpelika, AL = $81,390
• Lubbock, TX = $77,780
• Tallahassee, FL =   $77,630
• Corpus Christi, TX = $76,420
• Waco, TX = $73,790
• Dover-Durham, NH-ME = $72,440
• Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC =$72,440

What Do Assistant Coaches Earn?

Like with head coaches, the earnings of assistant coaches really run the gamut depending on the school and its football program. The lowest-paying schools in the NCAA pay $50,000 a year, and the highest-paid assistant coach in 2018, LSU's Dave Aranda, pockets almost two million a year.

It likely won't surprise you that assistant coaches at Division I schools typically earn the most in the NCAA. The larger the school and the most successful the sports program, the more money an assistant coach can demand in salary.

How to Become a Coach

Most college coaching jobs require a bachelor's degree and experience playing the sport they plan to coach. The degree can be in any subject, but some coaches choose a field of study that relates to coaching, such as sports science, physiology, exercise or some other related field. Many head coaches begin their careers as assistant coaches.

You're not likely to become a millionaire coaching football at a Division III school, but it can be a rewarding job with a healthy salary.