WASHINGTON /PRNewswire/ — As college and university basketball teams head into March Madness on the road to the Final Four of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Men’s Division I Championship, Americans have weighed in on views about coaches’ salaries.
In a recent survey conducted by Finn Partners, nearly two in three respondents (63 percent) say college and university coaches “should not make more than the presidents” of those institutions. Of those who voice opposition, more than one-in-three (38 percent) strongly hold this view saying they are “definitely” against higher salaries for coaches.
Percentages change based on the ages of the respondents, with younger Americans less opposed to a pay gap. Nearly four in ten (38 percent) of those between 18 and 44 are more likely to say coaches should make more than college and university presidents compared to fewer than two in ten (17 percent) of those 45 and above. Specific age breakouts follow:
Percentage of Respondents By Age Who Say They Support Coaches Earning More
|
Age |
Percent |
|
18-29 |
41% |
|
30-44 |
35% |
|
45-59 |
24% |
|
60 and older |
10% |
Also, Hispanic (47 percent) and African-American (34 percent) respondents are more likely to say they support a higher pay discrepancy between coaches and college or university presidents.
This survey comes as the average salary for college head coaches was $823,000 for the 2014-2015 season.
As reported in The Chronicle of Higher Education in May 2014, “It’s no secret that in more than 40 states the highest-paid public employee isn’t the governor or even a university president. It’s a public-college football or basketball coach.” This information comes from The Chronicle‘s database on executive compensation at public universities.
“While younger Americans are disproportionately likely to say that college and university coaches should make more than presidents, the vast majority of respondents say this practice is not appropriate,” said Margaret S. Dunning, Managing Partner, Finn Partners. “These findings suggest that Americans still consider academics a priority over athletics on college campuses.”
The Finn Futures™ survey is a new initiative of Finn Partners, whose research team is led by Research Director Christopher Lawrence. Finn Futures ™ is part of an ongoing initiative by the company to assess attitudes, beliefs and behaviors in education and other issues of critical importance to consumers. The survey was conducted online in November 2015 among a sample of 1,000 American adults nationwide. The data was weighed slightly to ensure it was representative of the population.
