Mario Cristobal was scheduled to earn about $8.3 million from Miami in 2025, according to USA Today’s coaching salary database, on the 10 year, $80 million contract he signed when he returned to his alma mater in December 2021. Miami agreed to a long term extension with him in August 2026, after a 13 and 3 season that ended in the national championship game, but as a private school it has not released the new terms.
| Latest reported pay | $8,302,883 scheduled for 2025, per USA Today |
| Original contract | 10 years, about $80 million, signed Dec. 2021 and running through 2031 |
| New extension | Agreed Aug. 3, 2026, reported by On3 and ESPN; length and money not disclosed |
| First year cost | Miami’s tax return showed $14.9 million paid in connection with the $9 million buyout he owed Oregon, including the taxes on it |
| Buyout | Not public; Miami does not disclose its coaching contracts |
Why the Extension Came Now
Cristobal has raised Miami’s win total every year: five in 2022, seven in 2023, 10 in 2024 and a school record 13 in 2025, when the Hurricanes beat Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl and reached the title game before losing to Indiana at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami entered 2026 as the ACC favorite with quarterback Darian Mensah, and extended its coach before anyone else could make an offer.
How It Compares
| Coach | School | Annual pay |
|---|---|---|
| Curt Cignetti (beat him in the title game) | Indiana | $13.2 million |
| Dabo Swinney | Clemson | $11.5 million |
| Mario Cristobal | Miami | About $8.3 million (before extension) |
Pay figures are from USA Today’s salary database and Miami’s federal tax filings, as reported by the Palm Beach Post; the extension was reported by ESPN. The full national list is on our college football coaching salaries page.
The Bottom Line
Mario Cristobal was paid about $8.3 million by Miami in 2025 on a 10 year, $80 million deal, and signed a long term extension in August 2026 whose terms Miami has not released. Expect the new figure to show up in a future tax filing. Follow the Hurricanes on the Miami football schedule, Miami score today and Miami NIL.