46. Virginia
> Highest paid employee: Frank Beamer
> Position: College football coach
> Salary: $2.42 million

With an annual salary of nearly $2.5 million, Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer is the highest-paid employee in the state. While coaches come and go at many institutions with prominent athletic departments, Beamer has led the Hokies since 1987.

47. Washington
> Highest paid employee: Mike Leach
> Position: College football coach
> Salary: $2.75 million

Washington State University football coach Mike Leach earned $2.75 million last year, making him the highest paid state employee in the state. Though his salary far exceeded the governor’s annual pay of $171,898, Leach’s salary comes exclusively from ticket sales and television revenue, not from taxes.

48. West Virginia
> Highest paid employee: Bob Huggins
> Position: College basketball coach
> Salary: $3.25 million

West Virginia University’s football coach, Dan Holgorsen, would be the highest-paid public employee in most states, earning roughly $3 million last year. However, the school’s basketball coach, Bob Huggins, earns approximately $250,000 more than Holgorsen per year. In comparison, West Virginia’s state legislators earn $20,000 per year.

49. Wisconsin
> Highest paid employee: Bo Ryan
> Position: College basketball coach
> Salary: $2.75 million

Bo Ryan, who has been the head coach of the University of Wisconsin Badgers basketball team since 2001, is Wisconsin’s highest-paid government employee. He is among the top 10 highest paid college basketball coaches in the country. He is currently considering retirement, which would shift the title of highest-paid employee to Wisconsin’s head football coach, Paul Chryst, who made $1.57 million in 2014.

50. Wyoming
> Highest paid employee: Craig Bohl
> Position: College football coach
> Salary: $832,000

Craig Bohl, Wyoming’s highest-paid government employee, has been the coach of the University of Wyoming Cowboys since 2013. The recently hired coach has a base annual salary of $832,000. Previous head coach Dave Christensen left the position making $1.2 million annually. With a maximum allowable bonus set at $330,000, Bohl has the potential to earn almost as much as his predecessor.