- Coaches are recommended by the high or middle school principal, and then voted upon by the school board before being officially hired. Paid coaching positions are commonly offered at the varsity, junior varsity and middle school level. The state school board binds public and some private school systems and athletic association rules and training requirements for paid and volunteer coaches.
- Varsity level coaches are at the top of the pay scale for school athletic instructors. Even though high school coaches may not be full-time school staff members, the pay scale is usually dictated by an agreement between the employees union, and the school district. Many employment contracts guarantee school staff the first option for all coaching positions. Once a supplemental coaching position is posted "in-house," the vacancy can be posted into the community.
- There is no set pay scale for high school coaches, and the salaries vary widely depending upon the wealth of the school district, and the type of sport. Typically, sports that generate the highest gate revenues offer the highest supplemental salary. Football, basketball and soccer commonly demand the highest salary ranges in the public school system. A football coach in a low- to moderate-income area could expect to earn a salary of approximately $2,400 for a year of service. Volleyball, tennis or girls basketball coaches typically earn $1,400 for coaching a varsity sport. Junior varsity and assistant coaches earn less than head coaches do.
- More affluent public schools and private schools may offer a full-time coaching contract to coaching staff. A bachelor's degree is often required for a full-time coaching position, with a major in a field related to athletics. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2006 figures, the median annual salary of full-time coaches is $22,800. The lowest earning full-time coaches earned $13,990 annually while employed as a high school coach. The middle 50 percent of coaching professionals earned an average high of $40,650 per year.
- The top percentile of coaches earned $58,890 depending upon geographic area, school, and the sport to be coached. Coaches can be paid a salary, an hourly wage or a fee based upon the number of participants and number of athletic competitions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics project the employment of athletic related positions to enhance by 15% during the 2006-2016 time frame.
