Penn State Releases Salary, Contract Details for Matt Campbell

The Nittany Lions' new football coach agrees to eight-year contract worth a guaranteed $70.5 million and includes academic bonuses.

Penn State Nittany Lions football coach Matt Campbell poses with a jersey during his introductory press conference in State College. | Mark Wogenrich | Penn State on SI

Penn State agreed to an eight-year contract with new football coach Matt Campbell worth a guaranteed $70.5 millon that also includes an annual retention bonus of $1 million and automatic extensions for making the College Football Playoff and winning a national championship.

Penn State released contract terms Monday after Campbell was approved as the new head football coach. Campbell becomes the highest-paid coach in Penn State athletics history, averaging $8.8 million per season. Campbell's contract also is fully guaranteed.

According to the term sheet, Penn State will pay Campbell 100 percent of the compensation total "for the remainder of the employment agreement, subject to mitigation." Campbell made $5 million at Iowa State. Penn State will pay Iowa State a $2 million buyout.

"Matt Campbell is one of the most respected coaches in the country and he has earned that," Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft said. "Matt Campbell is Penn State: hard-nosed, humble, relentless, a developer of young men, and he's built for championships. He embraces our expectations not as pressure but as a privilege, and with him Penn State football enters a new era of toughness, discipline, accountability, and identity."

Matt Campbell's annual compensation

Year	Salary
2026	$8 million
2027	$8.25 million
2028	$8.5 million
2029	$9 million
2030	$9 million
2031	$9.25 million
2032	$9.25 million
2033	$9.25 million

Campbell's contract includes a $10 million buyout if he were to leave Penn State in 2026. That buyout drops by $2 million annually until 2030. The buyout is $1 million for the final three years of the contract.

Campbell's contract also includes multiple performance bonuses based on success on the field and in the classroom. If Penn State makes the College Football Playoff, Campbell would receive an automatic one-year extension and a raise of at least $500,000. If Penn State wins a national championship, Campbell would receive an automatic two-year extension and a raise of at least $1 million.

Matt Campbell's contract incentives

Penn State coach Matt Campbell invokes Todd Blackledge, Joe Paterno and Kyle Brady in his introduction. pic.twitter.com/Ikjy9iejgv

— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) December 8, 2025

Among the incentives in Campbell's contract, of which the coach would earn the highest in each category:

Category A

• $150,000 for winning a national coach-of-the-year award

• $100,00 for being named Big Ten coach of the year

Category B

• $350,000 for winning the Big Ten championship game

• $250,000 for appearing in the Big Ten championship game

Category C

• $1 million for winning the national championship

• $800,000 for appearing in the CFP title game

• $500,000 for appearing in the CFP semfinals

• $400,000 for appearing in the CFP semifinals

• $300,000 for making the playoff

• $200,000 for a bowl appearance

Campbell's term sheet also includes a range of bonuses for academic performance. Campbell would receive $150,000 if Penn State achieves a team grade-point average of 3.5 or higher. He also would receive a $150,000 bonus if Penn State achieves a Graduation Success Rate of 95 or highernotes

The contract further includes "binding commitments" regarding NIL funding, staff salaries and recruiting budget. According to Matt Fortuna, Penn State is budgeting about $30 million for roster salaries.

SOURCES: Penn State is committing roughly $30 million in NIL money and $17 million in staff pool (assistant coaches, support staff, etc.) to Matt Campbell. pic.twitter.com/CSw9JDIzD1

— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) December 6, 2025

"I know what I'm inheriting and what my responsibility is," Campbell said. "To be honest with you, to link arms with every one of our lettermen, former players, and to unify this football program into the greatest football power in the country, I can't wait for that opportunity."

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