After two successful years in the Mountain West, Barry Odom has booked himself a ticket back to the Power Four level as the Purdue Boilermakers’ head coach.
The Big Ten program has struggled through two difficult seasons but has tabbed the 2023 Mountain West Coach of the Year as the man to transform the team. Odom’s salary, contract, and net worth showcase the price of trying to bring success to Purdue.
Barry Odom’s Salary and Contract in 2025
Odom signed a six-year deal to become the new Boilermakers head coach in early December 2024. The former UNLV Rebels and Missouri Tigers head coach will receive a base salary for the 2025 college football season of $6 million, a significant increase on the $1.75 million he received from the Rebels in 2024.
However, that isn’t even the tip of the iceberg for Odom’s salary. The new Purdue head coach will receive $6 million in 2025 and 2026, but will increase over the duration of the six-year contract as laid out below:
- 2025: $6 million
- 2026: $6 million
- 2027: $6.25 million
- 2028: $6.5 million
- 2029: $7 million
- 2030: $7.25 million
Not only is that a drastic increase compared to Odom’s UNLV salary (which received a boost as part of a contract extension in spring 2024), but it is significantly more than his predecessor. Ryan Walters earned $4.05 million for the 2024 campaign and was set to be paid $4.55 million before being fired following a dismal 1-11 campaign that featured no conference wins.
It’s also more than Jeff Brohm, now the Louisville Cardinals head coach, would have earned from his previous contract with the Boilermakers. The highly-regarded former Purdue leader was set to earn $5.4 million with the program in 2025, $600,000 less than Odom’s salary under his recently signed deal. The numbers involved speak to the excitement surrounding his hire.
“This is an exciting day as we announce head coach Barry Odom as the new leader of the Purdue Boilermakers,” said Purdue Director of Athletics Mike Bobinski. “As both a leader and person, Coach Odom personifies the qualities that our football program and university value.”
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“During our interactions with Coach Odom, it became clear that he possesses the belief, tenacity, and competitive drive necessary to return Purdue Football to the standard of excellence we all expect. He is a proven and experienced leader who has brought success to two different football programs.”
A former linebacker for Missouri, Odom spent most of his early coaching career with the Tigers before becoming head coach in 2016. Despite seeing some success, he was fired following the 2019 season, taking a job as the Arkansas Razorbacks defensive coordinator before resurrecting his career as the UNLV head coach. He brings a 44-33 record as a head coach to Purdue.
Barry Odom’s Net Worth
Under the terms of his contract with Purdue, Odom’s net worth is $39 million. However, that doesn’t include salaries from his time with Missouri, Arkansas, and UNLV, having recently received a contract increase for his success with the Rebels.
It also doesn’t include any potential academic or performance-related incentives woven into his contract. While numbers weren’t made available at the time of his signing with the Boilermakers, IndyStar.com reported he would be “eligible for up to $1.5 million” in such bonuses.
Although the bonus specifics of Odom’s contract haven’t been released as of yet, the incentive structure for previous head coach Walters was public knowledge, and can be used as a baseline for what the new Purdue head coach may be able to attain:
- $90,000 for finishing first in their respective Big Ten division.
- $45,000 for finishing second in their respective Big Ten division.
- $150,000 for winning the Big Ten Championship.
- $375,000 for reaching the College Football Playoff.
- $300,000 for participating in the Rose Bowl Game.
- $270,000 for reaching a New Year’s Six Bowl game.
- $180,000 for participating in the Citrus, Music City, or Reliaquest Bowls.
- $150,000 for participating in the Pinstripe Bowl.
- $112,500 for playing in any other bowl game.
- $75,000 for being named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
- $150,000 for winning National Coach of the Year.
- $90,000 if the team has equal to or greater than the NCAA average GSR.
- $45,000 if the team’s average GPA hits the target range (the range is established annually).
- $90,000 if the average GPA of the team exceeds the set target range.
Naturally, some of those incentives are no longer relevant due to changes in the Big Ten and College Football Playoff structure. Furthermore, Walters’ deal carried a clause that postseason eligibility had to be attained for any bonus to be paid — something the program hasn’t achieved in the past two years.
If some of those figures remain (or are even elevated) in Odom’s contract, it might be a small price to pay to return Purdue to competitiveness and relevance in a Big Ten environment that has never been harder to establish yourself in.
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