What You're Paying the State's Priciest Employee
Today, the Seattle Times released the full details of the contract of the highest-paid employee in the state: University of Washington football coach Steve Sarkisian.
Said details, compiled by Husky reporter extraordinaire Bob Condotta, came via a public records request.
In addition to a $1.75 million salary--a combination of a $150K housing allowance, $300K base salary, and $1.3 million from media appearances and speaking fees--Sarkisian gets some pretty sweet perks and bonus opportunites:
- His family attends all road games, all expenses paid
- Two vehicles for personal use, insurance included
- A country club membership
- A $350K bonus for winning the Pac-10 title
- A $150K bonus for appearing in any bowl game
- A $500K bonus for winning the BCS title
Note that with 34 college bowl games, just about any team with a winning record will make one. So Sarkisian will get a bonus that's nearly the entire annual salary of the governor of this state for fielding a mediocre football team.
No wonder he's always so fired up!
To be fair, Division I football coaches work incredibly hard. Twenty-hour days are common (actually, pretty much required) during the season, and the offseason is filled with travel, visiting recruits and speaking to booster groups. Also, during the fall, you almost always have to work weekends.
A successful football coach brings joy to untold thousands--which is more than you can say for, as an example, the Insurance Commissioner (Mike Kriedler, who makes $116,950 -- 93% less than Sarkisian).
Sarkisian's salary is in line with others in his profession -- the average salary is around $1 million.
I'd say he'll be worth it if he can come up with a speech like this:
