Curt Cignetti is the highest paid coach in college football, earning an average of $13.2 million a year on an eight year, $105.6 million contract at Indiana that runs through the 2033 season. Indiana signed the deal in February 2026, a month after Cignetti led the Hoosiers to a 16 and 0 season and the first national championship in school history. He arrived from James Madison two years earlier on a $27 million deal.
| Average salary | $13.2 million, starting at $13.025 million in 2026 and rising $50,000 a year to $13.375 million in 2033 |
| Total value | $105.6 million over eight years |
| How it is paid | $500,000 base salary, a $1 million retention bonus every Nov. 30, and the rest from outside, promotional and marketing income |
| Buyout if Indiana fires him | Fully guaranteed if he is fired without cause, carried over from his previous deal |
| Bonuses | Conference wins, College Football Playoff rounds, Big Ten titles and national coach of the year honors |
| Why it went up | His October 2025 extension paid $11.6 million a year, with a clause forcing Indiana to renegotiate if the Hoosiers won a title. They did, and the average rose by $1.6 million |
How His Pay Climbed
| Contract | Terms |
|---|---|
| Hired from James Madison, Nov. 2023 | Six years, $27 million |
| After a 10 and 0 start, Nov. 2024 | Eight years, $7.3 million a year plus a $1 million retention bonus |
| October 2025 extension | Eight years, $92.8 million ($11.6 million a year) |
| After the national title, Feb. 2026 | Eight years, $105.6 million ($13.2 million a year) |
How It Compares
| Coach | School | Annual pay |
|---|---|---|
| Curt Cignetti | Indiana | $13.2 million |
| Kirby Smart | Georgia | $13 million |
| Lane Kiffin | LSU | $13 million |
| Ryan Day | Ohio State | $12.5 million |
Contract terms are from the memorandum of understanding Indiana released in March 2026, as reported by the Associated Press and FootballScoop. The full national list is on our college football coaching salaries page.
The Bottom Line
Curt Cignetti makes $13.2 million a year on an eight year, $105.6 million Indiana contract through 2033, the most of any coach in college football. Most of it comes through outside income rather than base salary, the deal is fully guaranteed if Indiana fires him without cause, and his pay has roughly tripled in two years. Follow the Hoosiers on the Indiana football schedule, Indiana score today and Indiana NIL.