Dave Aranda Is The Highest Paid Assistant In CFB, Here's How LSU's Staff Ranks In Pay

LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda's salary of $2.5 million makes him the highest paid assistant coach in College Football, according to USA Today Sports' updated database of the highest paid assistants.

Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables was No. 2 on list with a salary of $2,200,000, followed by Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele at No. 3 with a salary of $2,050,000.

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Aranda’s contract, which is guaranteed through March 31, 2022, makes him more highly paid than four head coaches in the Pac-12 Conference. Missouri’s Barry Odom, a head coach in Aranda’s own league, the Southeastern Conference, made slightly less ($2.35 million) this season.

Aranda, 42, was a little-known commodity as recently as six years ago. After working his way up from places like Cal Lutheran and Delta State to the FBS level at Utah State in 2012, his reputation blossomed when he followed Gary Anderson to Wisconsin and ran a defense that finished in the top-10 nationally for three straight seasons even though his roster wasn’t loaded with blue-chip recruits.

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Here is how all of LSU's assistant coaches stack up in the database.

1. Dave Aranda - $2.5 million
42. Steve Ensminger - $800K
85. Tommie Robinson - $600K
150. James Cregg - $485K
164. Jerry Sullivan - $460K
205. Corey Raymond - $410K
245. Greg McMahon - $385K
247. Bill Busch - $385K
489. Mickey Joseph - $235K
529. Dennis Johnson - $210K

You can see the full database here.