Is coaching in the NAIA an easier job than a top class high school? Logic being you don't have to teach/have a day job.
This is a mixed response. If I was given a choice of top Class B or A school vs a mid level NAIA, I'd probably lean high school.
Pros of NAIA vs High School
1. You're coaching college athletes. Granted it's a lower level, but these are still all state or all conference players or at least select starters off of high school teams.
2. You get to recruit to your system.
3. Typically good money behind the programs for team doctors, weight rooms, uniforms, travel.
Cons
1. Locally you're recruiting to an expensive school in small towns in Cockeye, Kansas, SD, Nebraska. Tough to sell that to kids outside those states.
2. You're recruiting to expensive, typically religious based schools. Again, tough sell.
3. Recruiting against good regional D2 schools. If you're outside 1 or 2 teams in GPAC, KCAC, or Heart there is zero chance of making playoffs or sniffing a conference championship.
4. Likely to get fired after a couple bad seasons.
5. Outside a few teams there are not a huge fan base, especially some of the lower level schools.