There's no denying that Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers have taken the college football by storm. Since taking over the program with the most losses in college football history, Cignetti has led the Hoosiers to an overall record of 27-2 to go along with a pair of College Football Playoff appearances and a historic national title.
Along with elite team success, Cignetti has churned out plenty of NFL talent. Headlined by Fernando Mendoza going No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, Indiana set a program record by having eight players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. In such a short amount of time, Cignetti has turned the IU football program from an afterthought to an undeniable powerhouse.
For his efforts, Cignetti was handsomely rewarded with a well-deserved contract extension last October.
Curt Cignetti enters the 2026 season as college football's highest-paid coach
Last season, Cignetti’s salary of $8.3 ranked 18th in the nation according to USA Today. That number is much higher heading into the upcoming season.
According to On3, Cignetti's salary of $13.02 million makes him the highest-paid coach in all of college football entering the 2026 season. He barely leads Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and LSU's Lane Kiffin, who both sport salaries of $13 million.
Here is a look at the top-10 highest paid college football coaches according to On3:
- 1. Curt Cignetti, Indiana - $13.02 million
- T-2. Kirby Smart, Georgia - $13 million
- T-2. Lane Kiffin, LSU - $13 million
- T-4: Ryan Day, Ohio State - $12.5 million
- T-4: Kalen DeBoer, Alabama - $12.5 million
- T-6: Lincoln Riley, USC - $11.5 million
- T-6: Dabo Swinney, Clemson - $11.5 million
- 8. Steve Sarkisian, Texas - $11.05 million
- 9. Mike Elko, Texas A&M - $10.75 million
- 10. Dan Lanning, Oregon - $10.6 million
Despite losing significant production from this past season, Cignetti has Indiana well-positioned to compete for another National Championship this fall. Indiana's win total sits at 10.5, which is tied for the second-highest in the country.
With Cignetti at the helm, the Hoosiers are no longer a long shot or an underdog when it comes to the College Football Playoff. Now, they are expected to make the CFP and compete for a national title. Cignetti's salary indicates the confidence the IU athletic department has in him, and Hoosier fans are eager to see what he can orchestrate in Year 3.
The Hoosiers begin the season on Saturday, September 5 with a home matchup against North Texas.
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