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Grand Rapids Reporter

Saturday, October 25, 2025

435 coaches at institutions in Kent County earned $37,557 on average in 2024

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Richard J. Pappas, Ed.D. President at Davenport University | Davenport University

Richard J. Pappas, Ed.D. President at Davenport University | Davenport University

Kent County's 435 coaches earned an average salary of $37,557 in 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

This is the 14th highest average salary per county earned by coaches at Michigan post-secondary schools during 2024.

Kent County is home to six post-secondary schools that paid coaches during 2024. Among them, Davenport University stood out with the highest average coaching salary of $49,939.

Male coaches of men's teams received $35,320 on average in Kent County, while female coaches in charge of women's teams earned an average of $33,641.

College football is one of the biggest sports in the U.S., with some college teams eclipsing NFL teams in terms of attendance and profit.

College athletes can now be paid directly by schools after a settlement approved in early July, which also requires the NCAA to pay $2.8 billion in back damages over 10 years to athletes who played from 2016 to the present. 

In 2022, after years of legal and legislative pressure, athletes also gained the right to profit from their names, images and likenesses through state laws and an NCAA policy change.

Kent County Institutions by Average Coach Earnings
InstitutionSalary
Davenport University$49,939
Calvin University$42,639
Aquinas College$35,574
Cornerstone University$29,382
Grace Christian University$10,783
Grand Rapids Community College$10,055

Information in this story was obtained from the U.S. Department of Education. The source data can be found here.

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