The 23 state universities that make at least $125 million annually from their sports teams

2024-01-25T09:56:01Z

College sports make big money, but some schools earn a lot more than others.
The SEC and Big Ten dominate the list of the schools that make the most money from sports.
The Ohio State University tops the list of biggest sports money-makers.

When it comes to college sports, there is a huge divide between the haves and the have-nots.

Of the 1,062 colleges and universities that field varsity athletic teams under the banner of the NCAA, only 396 — fewer than half — made at least $10 million off their sports teams in 2022, the most recent year with available data. Among those schools, only 56 — about 5% — made at least $100 million.

And there is a clear class division among the top 127 Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

All of the “Power 5” conferences that make up the elite of college sports are represented among the top 23 athletics revenue-producing schools. However, 10 are from the football powerhouse Southeastern Conference, and six of the schools are from the recently expanded Big Ten Conference.

The remaining seven schools represent the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big 12 Conference, and the Pac-12 Conference. However, two of those schools will be moving to the SEC, and one will join the Big Ten in 2024.

We used data made available by the US Department of Education and calculated the average revenue generated by athletic programs for the three most recent years available, 2020 through 2022. Major sources of income include conference television contracts divided among the member schools, sponsorships, and ticket sales.

We also looked at the average annual revenue for the three sports that typically generate the most: football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball.

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23. Indiana University

Conference: Big Ten

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $126 million

Football Revenue: $50 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $21 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $3 million

22. University of Iowa

Conference: Big Ten

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $129 million

Football Revenue: $70 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $11 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $2 million

21. University of Wisconsin

Conference: Big Ten

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $130 million

Football Revenue: $75 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $15 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $680,000

20. University of Louisville

Conference: ACC

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $130 million

Football Revenue: $36 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $25 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $4 million

19. Florida State University

Conference: ACC

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $134 million

Football Revenue: $58 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $12 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $4 million

18. University of Kentucky

Ajae Petty #13 of the Kentucky Wildcats — Ajae Petty of the Kentucky Wildcats.

Conference: SEC

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $135 million

Football Revenue: $36 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $23 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $3 million

17. University of Arkansas

Conference: SEC

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $137 million

Football Revenue: $69 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $19 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $2 million

16. University of South Carolina

Conference: SEC

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $139 million

Football Revenue: $59 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $10 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $6 million

15. Stanford University

Stanford Tree Mascot — Stanford tree mascot.

Conference: Pac-12 (Will join ACC in 2024)

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $139 million

Football Revenue: $39 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $9 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $6 million

14. University of Tennessee

Smokey, the University of Tennessee mascot.

Conference: SEC

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $140 million

Football Revenue: $84 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $16 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $3 million

13. University of Southern California

Conference: Pac-12 (will join the Big Ten in 2024)

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $146 million

Football Revenue: $51 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $7 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $4 million

12. University of Florida

Conference: SEC

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $147 million

Football Revenue: $80 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $11 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $91,000

11. Penn State University

Conference: Big Ten

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $148 million

Football Revenue: $64 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $10 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $1 million

10. Texas A&M University

Texas A&M's Kyle Field. — Texas A&M’s Kyle Field.

Conference: SEC

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $150 million

Football Revenue: $72 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $13 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $2 million

9. Auburn University

Independence, the Auburn University eagle mascot.

Conference: SEC

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $152 million

Football Revenue: $85 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $13 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $2 million

8. Louisiana State University

Conference: SEC

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $158 million

Football Revenue: $76 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $9 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $2 million

7. University of Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners celebrate 2023 NCAA softball championship.

Conference: Big 12 (will join the SEC in 2024)

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $167 million

Football Revenue: $112 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $12 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $2 million

6. University of Notre Dame

Conference: ACC (independent in football)

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $170 million

Football Revenue: $106 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $8 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $2 million

5. University of Michigan

Conference: Big Ten

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $170 million

Football Revenue: $110 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $17 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $426,000 million

4. University of Alabama

Conference: SEC

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $180 million

Football Revenue: $100 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $16 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $2 million

3. University of Georgia

Conference: SEC

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $184 million

Football Revenue: $125 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $10 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $1 million

2. University of Texas

Texas Longhorns volleyball players celebrate their 2023 NCAA championship.

Texas Longhorns volleyball players celebrate their 2023 NCAA championship.

Conference: Big 12 (will join the SEC in 2024)

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $191 million

Football Revenue: $134 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $16 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $2 million

1. Ohio State University

Mascot Brutus and the Ohio State Buckeyes football team.

Conference: Big Ten

Average Annual Athletics Revenue: $204 million

Football Revenue: $90 million

Men’s Basketball Revenue: $20 million

Women’s Basketball Revenue: $2 million

This post was originally published on Insider

The 23 state universities that make at least $125 million annually from their sports teams

The 23 state universities that make at least $125 million annually from their sports teams

23. Indiana University

22. University of Iowa

21. University of Wisconsin

20. University of Louisville

19. Florida State University

18. University of Kentucky

17. University of Arkansas

16. University of South Carolina

15. Stanford University

14. University of Tennessee

13. University of Southern California

12. University of Florida

11. Penn State University

10. Texas A&M University

9. Auburn University

8. Louisiana State University

7. University of Oklahoma

6. University of Notre Dame

5. University of Michigan

4. University of Alabama

3. University of Georgia

2. University of Texas

1. Ohio State University

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The 23 state universities that make at least $125 million annually from their sports teams

23. Indiana University

22. University of Iowa

21. University of Wisconsin

20. University of Louisville

19. Florida State University

18. University of Kentucky

17. University of Arkansas

16. University of South Carolina

15. Stanford University

14. University of Tennessee

13. University of Southern California

12. University of Florida

11. Penn State University

10. Texas A&M University

9. Auburn University

8. Louisiana State University

7. University of Oklahoma

6. University of Notre Dame

5. University of Michigan

4. University of Alabama

3. University of Georgia

2. University of Texas

1. Ohio State University

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