In 2022, USC reported $19.7 million in total compensation for Riley, whose buyout at Oklahoma resulted in $4.5 million payed by the Trojans. Less than $10 million was categorized as base compensation. Entering the 2025 season, Riley sits fourth among college football's highest-paid coaches with a $10.04 million expected salary.

As a reminder, USC went 8-5 during the 2023 season. This means that Riley was paid nearly $1.5 million per victory that year. Given how much of the university's money he is receiving, it is totally valid for USC fans to expect much better results from their head coach.

Lincoln Riley has not enjoyed the type of success that USC was hoping for in his first three seasons as the school’s head football coach, but he is certainly being compensated as though there are few people who are better at the job.