Mark Pope is back to where it all began. He is back on the hard courts of the Kentucky Wildcats. Pope is a former Kentucky Wildcats captain and a key player in their 1996 national championship run.
After his stint at BYU, where he managed to turn the program around completely, Pope has decided to return to his alma mater. And this time as the head coach! Of course, that also means it came with a pretty interesting contract.
Mark Pope’s Salary & Contract in 2025
Let’s start with the switch that Pope made. As the hoop fans know, switching jobs in basketball can be expensive. And when the Wildcats brought Pope in from BYU, it was no different. They had to pay $6 million to buy out his contract. So, how much better is the Wildcats’ contract?
Well, coaching at Kentucky is no small gig, and Pope’s contract says it all. His deal is worth $27.5 million over five years, running through March 31, 2029. That means Pope’s annual salary stands at a comfortable $5 million. This puts him amongst the top-paid coaches in the country. However, he is still paid less than some of his peers.
For context, Bill Self at Kansas leads the pack with an $8.8 million salary. Meanwhile, his predecessor, John Calipari, who took his talents to Arkansas, is being paid $8 million a year.
Dan Hurley (UConn), Tom Izzo (Michigan State), and Mick Cronin (UCLA) are also earning more than Pope. But at $5 million, he’s tied with Ole Miss’s Chris Beard for 11th place in Division I basketball salaries. But that’s not all the money that Pope is making!
Pope’s contract also includes a performance-based incentive structure. This means, if Kentucky makes the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16, his deal automatically extends by a year.
The contract won’t exceed five years, but if Pope keeps leading the Wildcats to deep tournament runs, his time in Lexington could last much longer. Pope’s incentives don’t end there.
If the Wildcats make it to the Final Four, that’s an extra $250,000 for Pope. And if Kentucky wins the national championship, Pope gets a $500,000 bonus. Even reaching the Sweet 16 would put another $50,000 in his pocket.
Mark Pope earns a 3 seed in his first year at Kentucky in a historic conference
Pretty good pic.twitter.com/RRvYtO9LNl
— Barstool Kentucky (@BarstoolUK) March 16, 2025
Additionally, he gains $100,000 for a regular-season conference title and $50,000 for winning the SEC Tournament. The perks don’t end there either.
There are also academic incentives. If the team maintains a GPA of 3.0 or an Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 975 or higher, Mark Pope gets $25,000 per person. Altogether, Pope’s bonus potential is capped at $700,000 per season. All of this is possible if he decides to stick with his alma mater.
What Happens if Mark Pope or Kentucky Wants Out of the Deal?
Well, if Kentucky ever decides to part ways with him, they will have to pay 75% of his remaining contract in monthly installments unless he finds another coaching job, which would offset some of the buyout costs.
If Pope decides to leave, the amount he owes Kentucky depends on the athletic director. While longtime AD Mitch Barnhart is still in charge, Pope would owe the school 33% of his remaining salary if he takes another job. If Barnhart is no longer there, that number drops to 20%.
Mark Pope’s Net Worth
Mark Pope’s net worth is not publicly available. However, given his Kentucky salary, it’s safe to say he’s doing just fine. He, after all, has a $5 million annual salary and a five-year deal worth $27.5 million, plus bonuses; his earnings are among the best in the game.
He may not be at the very top of the college coaching pay scale just yet. However, if he can bring another championship to Lexington, that could happen rather quickly.
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