Kirk Ferentz has become synonymous with the University of Iowa. The head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes, one of the best Iowa teams of all time, since 1999, Ferentz has become a legend of college football. Kirk Ferentz may not quite be on the same level as Nick Saban, but he has been Iowa head coach long enough that it would feel weird to see anyone else at the helm.
As the head football coach, Ferentz has done it all in the Big Ten. Ferentz and the Hawkeyes have won the Big Ten West Division, been to the Big Ten Championship Game, and won two Big Ten Championships.
They have been to a litany of bowl games as well, including the vaunted Rose Bowl and he has become part of Iowa’s history. All that is missing from Ferentz’s time with the Hawkeyes is a national championship.
Kirk Ferentz Coaching Career
There is no end in sight to Kirk Ferentz’s tenure as the head coach at the University of Iowa. He recently signed a four-year contract extension, keeping him in Iowa City for the next eight years.
By the time his latest contract ends, Ferentz will have been in Iowa City for 30 years. During that time, he has made it clear what Iowa Football is: smashmouth, defense-first football. Iowa will run the ball, they’ll make it tough on opposing offenses, and they may struggle to generate their own offense from time to time.
Kirk Ferentz Contract
Kirk Ferentz’s contract pays him quite well. Though he doesn’t have a contract with a high annual salary – just a $500,000 base salary – his annual earnings are substantial. In the end, he is one of the highest-paid coaches in all of college football.
Historically, Kirk Ferentz’s salary has been solid for the head football coach at Iowa, though his contract may not have been among the biggest in college football. Given how long his career has been as Iowa head coach, Kirk Ferentz’s net worth is impressive.
One of the most interesting things is Kirk Ferentz salary. His net worth is up for some debate, an estimated $16 million. Given his current contract, his recent contract extension, and long career as the Iowa Hawkeyes head coach, some feel that it should be more.
Contract Structures
Kirk Ferentz contract has had different structures over two decades as head coach of the Iowa football program. In addition to his $500,000 base salary, Ferentz has substantial bonuses, performance incentives, and supplemental compensations.
Kirk Ferentz has an interesting contract currently. His salary is relatively low, especially compared to other teams and how they pay their head coach. But Ferentz earns supplemental compensation and supplemental salary that equates to substantial earnings. He is critical to the program, which is what gives him access to private jet use, crucial for recruiting key players. He has a $1 million longevity bonus as well as $5.5 million in supplemental compensation.
Finding “Kirk Ferentz salary” is tougher to find during the early years of his college football coaching career. Iowa Hawkeyes football has been a staple of the Big Ten, with a litany of bowl games to point out. Ferentz has led Iowa to unparalleled success for the program, frequently placing in the AP poll, coaches poll, and even in the college football playoff rankings.
Kirk Ferentz didn’t ice redshirt freshman Kyle Konrardy before attempting a potential game-winning 54-yard field goal.
You have to wonder if his decision to do it in 2014 played a factor a decade later.
📺 : @CyclonesTV pic.twitter.com/xD3kbKiQjR
— Jake Brend (@JakeBrendTV) September 8, 2024
Kirk Ferentz Salary
Kirk Ferentz earns a sizable salary as the head coach of the University of Iowa, but there is more to his contract than that. Each time the team earns a win, it only adds to his value (and net worth). Games are tougher now that the Big Ten is loaded, so when Iowa wins, it earns the team a higher spot in the new Big Ten.
Ferentz has a litany of bonuses in his contract that bolster his salary. He has to hit certain goals for graduation rate, but his bonuses make his contract quite impressive. In addition to his $500,000 base salary, Ferentz gets a bolster to his net worth with a $1 million longevity bonus and an extra $5.5 million in additional compensation.
Ferentz didn’t really start to be a major name in college football coaching salary until about 2006. That year, his salary was boosted to $2.7 million per season, making him the highest-paid football coach in the Big Ten and the third-highest-paid head coach in all of college football.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I’m thankful for Kirk Ferentz. He took a chance on a coach’s kid and was rewarded with:
• TWO SickosCommittee Nattys
• TWO B1G 10 West Championships
• Perennial Top 120 Offense
• Heisman candidate punter— The 133rd Best OC (@brianferentz_oc) November 28, 2024
Kirk Ferentz Net Worth
When it comes to his net worth, Kirk Ferentz inspires some debate. His current net worth is estimated to be about $16 million. Given that he has had success as Iowa head coach, with a substantial salary going back to 2006, there are many who feel that Ferentz should be worth more.
When it comes to other top college football head coaches, Ferentz is comparable. Part of that has to do with the success of his teams over his long career, Iowa winning tons of games each season even if they aren’t really contenders. Even a non-New Year’s bowl game is considered a success for the Hawkeyes. It is part of what earns him $7 million each season as the Iowa head coach.
It is currently unknown if Kirk Ferentz has outside interests that bolster his salary in addition to his coaching career. All he talks about is football, which makes sense given what he does. It also makes sense considering each Iowa game won means more return on investment for the program.
At his weekly presser today, Kirk Ferentz was asked how he formulates relationships with @UIchildrens Kid Captains & their families.
He gave a 3-minute answer, but this particular perspective right here is special.
Not many college football coaches have this in them. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/dfZ9pv1Fxw
— Cody Hills (@ByCodyHills) November 26, 2024
Impact on Iowa Hawkeyes Football
Iowa Football and Kirk Ferentz have become synonymous. The program had moderate success in football over the decades prior to his arrival, but Ferentz has transformed the program into one that quietly wins a lot of games.
Knowing that he can’t quite compete with the national powerhouses, Ferentz has put a focus on recruiting that screams “Iowa Football.” For that reason, Iowa has become known for tight ends and offensive linemen, many even considering the program to be the university for churning out both position groups.
The long-term is certain, at least for now. With his recent contract extension, Ferentz will be in Iowa City through at least 2029, at least in part because his buyout is $30 million. He will be 74 years old by then, with 30 full years of football under his belt at the university.
Right now, Iowa has to be thinking about what comes next even though there is still some time left. Ferentz has done it all for the program, stabilized them and made them productive in the face of powers like Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, and others.
Conclusion
Though they have not won a national championship, winning is something that Kirk Ferentz has done well in each season with the Iowa Hawkeyes. He has been College Football Coach of the Year, Big Ten Coach of the Year (four times), won his division three times, and won the Big Ten Championship twice. Each season, he helps keep Iowa prepared to be a threat against the more traditional powerhouses.
Ferentz has brought his own brand of football to Iowa that is all its own. When it comes to winning football games in Iowa City, no one has done it better. At age 69, no one knows how much football he has left, but there will be a huge void to fill when Ferentz has led his last team out onto the field.
