As of August 2025, Curt Cignetti is Indiana University's head football coach. In the past, he served as head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), Elon University, and James Madison University.
Among the titles he has won as a coach are 3 CAA (2019–2021), 1 CAA South Division (2020), 2 Sun Belt East Division (2022, 2023), 1 PSAC (2012), and 2 PSAC West Division (2012, 2015).
Curt Cignetti Salary
Indiana football signed a new deal with Curt Cignetti through 2032 in November 2024. His salary for 2025 will be $8 million.
How much is Curt Cignetti's new contract?
Cignetti will earn a base salary of $500,000 every year in addition to a $1,000,000 retention incentive. The following sources of yearly outside, marketing, and promotional revenue account for the majority of his compensation (via Sports Illustrated):
2024-2025: $6,800,000
2025-2026: $7,000,000
2026-2027: $7,200,000
2027-2028: $7,400,000
2028-2029: $7,600,000
2029-2030: $7,800,000
2030-2031: $8,000,000
2031-2032: $8,200,000
How much is Curt Cignetti's buyout?
Additionally, Cignetti's buyout has grown. He will give the university the following if he leaves his job before the contract expires (via Sports Illustrated):
2024-2025: $13,000,000
2025-2026: $10,000,000
2026-2027: $9,000,000
2027-2028: $8,000,000
2028-2029: $6,000,000
2029-2030: $3,000,000
2030-2031: $3,000,000
2031-2032: $1,000,000
Curt Cignetti's Incentives
The new contract and the original contract are the same in a number of ways. Cignetti's new contract has the same pay and bonus schedule as his previous one. The highest number in each area will be applied, and the bonuses listed below are not cumulative.
1. For Indiana's fifth Big Ten victory, Cignetti would get a $100,000 bonus; for its sixth conference victory, he would get a $150,000 incentive.
2. He would get a $250,000 bonus if Indiana placed sixth or higher out of the 18 Big Ten teams, a $500,000 bonus if Indiana placed second, or a $1,000,000 bonus if Indiana won the Big Ten championship.
3. Cignetti would get a $200,000 yearly incentive if Indiana made a bowl berth outside of the College Football Playoff, and an extra $50,000 if Indiana wins the bowl game.
4. If the Hoosiers make it to the College Football Playoffs under Cignetti, the bonuses rise dramatically. Bonuses are $500,000 for a first-round appearance, $600,000 for a quarterfinal appearance, and $700,000 for a semifinal appearance. In addition to receiving a $2,000,000 incentive for winning the national championship, Cignetti would also receive a $1,000,000 bonus if Indiana finished as the national runner-up. These bonuses are applied based on the top finish and are not cumulative.
5. One clause from the prior agreement is absent from the new one. For every bowl appearance, Cignetti will no longer automatically get a one-year contract extension, compensation rise, and a boost to the assistant coach salary pool.
6. Cignetti would receive a maximum bonus of $50,000 if he were to win the Big Ten Coach of the Year Award from the Big Ten Media Voting Panel (Dave McClain) or the Big Ten Conference Coaches (Hayes-Schembeckler).
7. If he wins any of the following national coach of the year awards, he might receive an extra $100,000 bonus: ABC/ESPN, Paul "Bear" Bryant, Sporting News, Walter Camp, Maxwell Football Club, or Associated Press.
8. Cignetti's new deal includes a $25,000 annual courtesy car stipend and a $10,000 annual budget for personal orders of adidas merchandise. In addition, he gets credentials for both football and men's basketball, eight-season football tickets, three all-game parking permits, twenty-five single-game football tickets, four season basketball tickets, two season parking passes for men's basketball, and two season passes to all home sporting events.
READ MORE: Curt Cignetti Wife
FAQs on Curt Cignetti
A. Curt Cignetti is currently serving as the Head Football Coach at Indiana University, a role he assumed on November 30, 2023.
A. Curt Cignetti signed a new contract which will run through 2032.
A. Yes, he is married to Manette Lawer and has three children.
