Kansas’ Bill Self Remains Highest-Paid CBB Head Coach Despite Todd Golden’s Extension

Even after Florida extended Todd Golden, Kansas' Bill Self remains college basketball's highest-paid head coach.

Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self talks to players during the game against Houston Cougars inside Allen Fieldhouse on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

While the Kansas basketball program hasn't made a deep NCAA tournament run since winning a national title in 2022, Bill Self is still one of the premier head coaches in the sport. The 17-time Big 12 title winner has already been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame and is among the final great coaches from the beginning of the 21st century.

On Friday, Florida extended 41-year-old head coach Todd Golden to a new six-year contract with an annual salary of over $8 million. However, the 2025 title-winning coach still doesn't surpass Self in salary.

Self is signed to a "lifetime contract" as KU's coach, making $8,853,800 per season and potentially more through bonuses. He remains the highest-paid coach even after this extension, followed by UConn's Dan Hurley and UNC's Michael Malone.

As Self enters the final years of his career, he'll need to prove that he is worth the massive investment in the coming years. He has struggled to adapt to the new age of the transfer portal since it became more prominent, missing on a lot of portal additions and failing to construct a cohesive roster several years in a row.

Mar 22, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts in the first half against the St. John's Red Storm during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are some extenuating circumstances to this, such as his health, as he's battled cardiovascular issues over the past few years. He missed the entirety of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, a year when the Jayhawks were a No. 1 seed and appeared poised for a potential Final Four run.

KU was unable to make it out of the first weekend with No. 1 overall recruit Darryn Peterson this past season. Self is hoping that will change this year behind fellow freshman phenom Tyran Stokes out of Rainier Beach High School.

Self has recently admitted that he has considered retirement multiple times, primarily due to his health concerns. Despite his massive annual earnings, he has earned the right to coach Kansas for as long as he wants as the program's most accomplished head coach in history.

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