10 Highest Paid State Employees In the USA

State employment in the US is one of the most sought-after jobs due to the privileges that comes with it. Apart from being highly paid, it comes with privileges such as health insurance and career advancement opportunity. Contrary to what most people believe, the highest-paid state employee in the US is not the governor or the Supreme judge, it could a college coach, a medical professional, or a business guru.

Here are the 10 Highest paid state employees in the USA, and if you want to be one of the highest-paid state employees in the US in the coming years, you should be ready to learn from them.

How Much Do Average Employees Make In The US?

Employees in the few highest-paid states in the US make an average of $94,700 annually. According to World Data Info, the average employee in the US makes

$74,738 annually in 2021.

Averagely, the take-home salary of employees in the United States ranges from a minimum of $24,000 to a maximum of 423,000 USD (this is when taxes and other

fees have been deducted from your card)

Do US Employees Get Paid Well?

Considering the cost of living and the average income salary of the employees, I can say that the US has an upper hand good salary structure. Considerably, it can be said that the US employee gets paid well.

The higher your certifications and skills, the faster you will get promoted, which indicates a higher salary.

10 Highest Paid State Employees In the USA

Below are the names of the 10 highest-paid state employees in the USA in the order of highest to lowest.

  1. Dabo Swinney (South Carolina) — $9.3 million

Dabo Swinney is leading the ladder of the highest-paid state employees in the

USA. He is the head football coach of Clemson Tigers at Clemson University in South Carolina. In 2008, he became the head coach 2008, and ever since, he has amassed quite a fortune.

Dabo Swinney made his wealth by leading the Clemson Tigers to two national championships. He also helped the team to break the historical record of 15 – 0 season in 2018. This feat has never been achieved by any college team.

  1. John Calipari (Kentucky) — $9.3 million

John Calipari tied with Clemson Tigers’ coach Dabo Swinney for the first position in the list of highest-paid state employees in the USA.

John Calipari is one of the most compensated coaches in the United States. He is the head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of Kentucky.

John Calipari led the Kentucky Wildcats since 2009 and had led the team to victory which amounts to 733 official wins.

Also, one of the pronounced wins in this career is leading the team to the Final

Fours for seasons (2011 to 2015).

John Calipari has since been moving higher in his career. Last year, he signed a contract worth $86 million for over 10 years which is huge.

  1. Nick Saban (Alabama) — $8.9 million

Nick Saban is one of the wealthy Alabamians and is in third place on the list of the highest-paid state employee in the USA.

Nick Saban is the coach of the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide. Previously, he was the head coach for the Miami Dolphins and led them to win six national titles.

In 2018, he signed an eight-year deal with the University of Alabama’s Crimson

Tide worth at least $74 million, boosting his fortune.

  1. Jim Harbaugh (Michigan) — $7.5 million

Jim Harbaugh is a home-state pride coach. He schooled at the University of Michigan and played for the team, and now he is the coach of the team. He is paid millions yearly for that.

Looking for home-state pride? You have Jim Harbaugh to look up to.

  1. Jimbo Fisher (Texas)— $7.5 million

Jimbo Fisher shares a tie with Jim Harbaugh for the fourth position on the list of the highest-paid employee in the USA.

Fisher got signed into Texas A&M in 2017 for a 10-year contract worth $75 million. Previously, he was signed to Florida State University and had led the team to pride.

His base salary is $500,000, which is an exemption from the supplemental income of $7 million that he earns.

Additionally, he has access to two full country club memberships and luxury cars. His career has been a success so far as he has led the school to record its highest number of wins ever in history.

  1. Kirby Smart (Georgia) — $6.9 million

Kirby Smart schooled at the University of Georgia in the ’90s. He came back to being the university head football coach in 2015 and has led the school to numerous victories for seven years.

He has shown great leadership capabilities and has led the Bulldogs of the University of Georgia to SEC Championship and Rose Bowl win.

  1. Jeff Brohm (Indiana) — $6.6 million

Jeff Brohm is a native of Kentucky and played the quarterback position on the team. However, he is currently the coach of the Boilermakers of Indiana’s Purdue University and occupies the seventh position in the list of the highest-paid state employees in the USA.

In 2017, Brohm signed a deal with Purdue worth $29 million. Additionally, he earned $3.6 million as bonuses.

Brohm’s leadership skill is worth emulating and he has led the Boilermakers to win the Foster Farms Bowl.

  1. Lincoln Riley (Oklahoma) – $6.4 million.

Lincoln Riley is at the eighth position of the highest-paid state employee in the USA and doubles as the youngest multimillionaire on this list. He attained this success at the age of 36.

Lincoln Riley is the head football coach of the University of Oklahoma Sooners and has led them to victory during his short tenure that started in 2017. He is surely an inspirational coach.

  1. James Franklin (Pennsylvania) — $5.7 million

On the ninth position of the highest-paid state employee in the USA is James Franklin. He played at the quarterback position for the East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania for four years.

In 1995, he began his coaching career and became well-known for that. In 2014, he became the head coach for Penn State’s Nittany Lions and has since then done excellently well with the team.

  1. Scott Frost, Nebraska — $5 million

Scott Frost is occupying the tenth position as the highest-paid state employee in the United States.

Scott Frost is the head coach of the Cornhuskers football team at the University of Nebraska.

At the end of 2017, he signed a deal with the Cornhuskers football club worth $35 million for seven years.

The university was proud of Scott Frost’s performance and he was asked to lead the team for an additional two years after the expiration of his contract in 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What state In the USA pays its employees the highest?

Illinois State pays its employees the highest in the United States. So Illinois state employees are the highest paying state employees in the United States.

Which state in the United States pays the lowest salary?

The two states that pay the lowest are Georgia with a minimum wage of ($5.15) and Wyoming with a minimum wage of ($5.15) against the federal minimum wage of $7.5.

However, employers in Georgia and Wyoming who are under the Fair Labor

Standards Act are mandated to stick to the 7.25 Federal minimum wage.

What are the best states for finding a job in the US?

Below are the best states in the United States where you can work and have a better quality of life.

  • Iowa
  • New Hampshire
  • Virginia
  • Idaho Nevada.
  • Minnesota
  • Nebraska
  • Massachusetts

What is the toughest job in the US?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) stated that the toughest job in the United States is being a line installer and repairer. These employees have a higher risk of sustaining injury and death due to their daily exposure to dangerous hazards, which is unlike anything you can find in other jobs.

Conclusion

Being a public employee in the USA is worth it. The pay is attractive and the incentive packages are wonderful. Beyond being a public employee, looking for a good state to work in is essential. Some states pay higher than others, and some have more opportunities than others. It is advised your research the best states to be a state employee to weigh your options.

If you want your name captured among the highest-paid state employees in the USA in the coming years, you can follow up on these enlisted names above, listen to their ideologies and learn from them.

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