Zach Arnett salary: How much does the Mississippi HC earn in 2023? Net worth, contract details, and more

Zach Arnett's first full season in charge of Mississippi State football is close at hand. Arnett is up against a huge challenge of filling up the shoes left by the late Mike Leach, who passed away last December.

Arnett was the Bulldogs' defensive coordinator at the time of Leach's passing, and the university passed a vote of confidence for him to succeed his late boss.

It is Arnett's first role as head coach. But it was never in doubt what he is capable of, given his track record as a defensive coordinator, especially at Mississippi State. Apart from being already familiar with the team, he felt like a natural successor to Leach.

So how much is Zach Arnett making from his first appointment as a college football head coach? His salary per annum is $3 million, according to the details of the deal he signed with the school.

The amount may sound quite enormous to most. But it pales when viewed in comparison to the salaries made by top college football coaches in recent years, especially in the SEC.

According to a report on 247sports.com, Arnett earns the least among SEC coaches. The ranking excludes the Vanderbilt football head coach as the private institution does not disclose what it pays its employees.

This is not a fact expected to raise eyebrows, however. It is Arnett's first head coaching contract, and he is mostly unproven. At just 36, he is having a really early start into his coaching career, and his salary can only go up from what it is.

Although that is also dependent on how much success he achieves along the way in his career. After all, Kirby Smart and Nick Saban didn't get handed eight-figure contracts just as they started out their careers.

Arnett's contract is meant to keep him at Mississippi State for the next four seasons. But depending on how well he impresses the fans and administration of the school, he can be handed a renewal that will keep him there longer, earning an improved salary.

Zach Arnett's net worth is put at $5 million by a couple of websites. However, the figure is unofficial.

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Zach Arnett's preparedness for his Mississippi State role

ReliaQuest Bowl - Mississippi State vs. Illinois

While he has not moved around much, Zach Arnett has had quality time under the tutelage of top football coaches to prepare him for the task ahead.

First, Arnett worked under the reputed defensive mastermind Ricky Long at SDSU, where he worked his way up from graduate assistant to defensive coordinator. Then he worked with the legendary coach and offensive mastermind, Mike Leach, at Mississippi State. All things considered, Arnett is definitely well-prepared.