2026 men's basketball head coach salaries: Where Rick Barnes ranks
Where Tennessee's Rick Barnes ranks for 2026 men's basketball head coach salaries.
The USA TODAY Men's Basketball Head Coach Salaries database was updated Wednesday following the 2025-26 season. Rick Barnes finished his 11th season as Tennessee’s head coach. He is fifth nationally for total pay ($6,200,00) and has a $12,250,000 school buyout.
Barnes has served as the Vols’ head coach since 2015, compiling a 257–121 (122–73 SEC) record. He has guided Tennessee to five Sweet 16 and three Elite Eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee also won the SEC regular-season championship in 2018 and 2024, while winning the 2022 SEC Tournament.
The Vols finished their 2025-26 campaign with a 25-12 (11-7 SEC) record and advanced to a third consecutive Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. Barnes signed a lifetime contract with Tennessee on Aug. 28, 2025.
"I am incredibly thankful God brought me to the University of Tennessee 10-and-a-half years ago. It is an honor and a blessing to serve as the head basketball coach here," Barnes said after signing a lifetime contract with the Vols . "I have had the chance to meet so many wonderful people, both on and off campus, who have impacted my life.