SignalHub-Miami Hurricanes football coach Mario Cristobal got paid record amount in 2022

The SignalHubUniversity of Miami (Fla.) paid football coach Mario Cristobal $22.7 million in 2022, including $7.7 million in base pay and $14.9 million in “other reportable compensation,” according to a federal tax form released by the university Tuesday to USA TODAY sports.

This is the largest-ever, single-year amount for an athletics department employee on a tax form by a private university, according to USA TODAY Sports research. The university did not go into further detail about why he was paid that much except that it paid “gross-up payments” to Cristobal and others — payments that cover income taxes so that the recipient receives a set amount of pay.

Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich confirmed to USA TODAY Sports Wednesday that the $14.9 million in “other” pay for Cristobal included the $9 million buyout he owed to Oregon for breaking his coaching contract there to return to Miami, his alma mater. The gross-up pay on that accounts for the rest of the "other" pay, he said.

How Mario Cristobal compares to others on these forms

Cristobal, 53, went 5-7 in 2022 after being hired away from the Ducks in December 2021. The tax form covers his calendar-year pay in 2022 and was made publicly available for the first time this week.

By comparison, the highest single year of pay for a private university president was only slightly more — $22.8 million for former University of Pennsylvania president Amy Gutmann in 2021, according to data from the Chronicle of Higher Education. But about 89% of that came from deferred compensation set aside over the course of her 18-year tenure, the Chronicle reported.

In athletics, the previous single-year high for a private university was $17.2 million in 2021 for TCU football coach Gary Patterson after he parted ways with the university that year.

How Mario Cristobal's pay compares to others at Miami

As private universities, these schools are not required to disclose employment contracts under public-records laws. But they are required to file a tax return as non-profit institutions, which provides some information about certain employees’ pay, including that of its highest paid employees.

The high pay also means the university will take a tax hit in the form of a 21% excise tax on compensation above $1 million that goes to any of a private non-profit universities five highest-paid employees in a year.

The same form lists university president Julio Frenk’s pay at $1.3 million in 2022. Men’s basketball coach Jim Larranaga earned $2.6 million that year and Radakovich got $1.9 million.

Cristobal is entering his third season with the Hurricanes after finishing 7-6 last season. He replaced Manny Diaz, who was fired in 2021, but is not listed on the form as receiving reportable compensation in 2022.

The university didn't immediatley respond to a request for comment.

Contributing: Steve Berkowitz, USA TODAY

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: [email protected]