The success of the New Mexico State Aggies football program in 2022 played out amidst uncertainty over the salary and contract status of head coach Jerry Kill. However, as they prepare for life in Conference USA in the 2023 college football season, Kill is not signed, sealed, and ready to deliver even more success in Las Cruces.
Jerry Kill’s Salary and Contract in 2023
The 2023 college football season will be the second of a five-year contract for Kill with New Mexico State. The experienced college head coach, who has had stints at Minnesota, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Emporia State, and Saginaw Valley State, will earn a salary of $600,000 for leading the Aggies into CUSA play in the 2023 campaign.
That seems relatively simple, right? Wrong. It might be the second season under his contract with New Mexico State, but Kill played out the first year without actually signing the deal following the announcement of his hire in December 2021. In fact, it took almost a full calendar year for Kill, the Aggies’ head coach, to put pen to paper.
You would expect that something as unusual as a college football head coach not signing his contract for a year would be related to a disagreement over the financial terms held within it. However, as athletic director Mario Moccia explained to the Las Cruces Sun-News late in 2022, money was never the issue.
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“This was never about compensation, but it was Jerry’s desire that administration and the university would address some of the critical football infrastructure needs that had been historically neglected.”
Some of the infrastructure improvements included the installation of a new scoreboard, construction of an artificial turf practice facility, and the construction of a home locker room. However, the clause that attracted the most attention was the insistence that a parking lot at Memorial Stadium be paved.
Kill signed his contract in the wake of delivering the best season New Mexico State football has experienced since 2017. He earned a salary of $550,000 while doing so, and after one season at $600,000, he will receive a $50,000 raise to $650,000 for the final three seasons of his deal. However, if he continues to deliver the same level of success, that could soon increase.
Kill’s Net Worth
As a result of his current contract with New Mexico State, Kill has a net worth of $3.1 million. However, with a coaching career that dates back to 1985, he has likely amassed a significant fortune. Additionally, Kill’s net worth is bolstered by several non-salary benefits, including a season ticket revenue incentive that is rare among college football head coach contracts.
Here is a breakdown of the bonus structure in his contract:
- Win over UTEP: $10,000
- Win over New Mexico: $10,000
- National Championship Win: $50,000
- Finishing the season as a top 25 team by the AP or USA Today: $20,000
- Any Power Five win: $25,000 per win
- College Football Playoff appearance: $50,000
- Winning six games or qualifying for a bowl game: $20,000
- OR winning seven games: $25,000
- OR winning eight games: $30,000
- OR winning nine or more games: $35,000
- Winning Conference Coach of the Year: $10,000
- Winning National Coach of the Year: $20,000
Additionally, Kill receives a salary boost of $5,000 for the program achieving two of three academic targets:
- 90% single-year NCAA graduation success rate
- 98% single-year NCAA Academic Progress Rate
- A single-year federal graduation rate 13% higher than the overall student body.
Kill also has a clause in his contract that entitles him to a bonus based on New Mexico State season ticket sales. He receives an amount equal to 10% of season ticket revenue as long as the revenue exceeds the five-year average prior to that season. The calculation does not include the 2020 college football season for obvious reasons.
