Houston football coach Willie Fritz 2025 contract details: Salary, buyout and more

Houston's Willie Fritz is tied for 52nd highest-paid coach in college football, according to USA TODAY's 2025 compensation survey. The Cougars coach is set to earn a total of $4,500,000, not including bonuses, which ranks No. 11 in the Big 12 Conference.

USA TODAY's available data does not include total pay figures for Big 12 member BYU. 

Amounts for coaches at private schools or Pittsburgh are based the schools' most recently available financial records, which cover the 2023 calendar year and include all forms of pay from the school, including bonuses.

Here's everything you need to know about Fritz's contract with Houston in 2025.

View the entire 2025 college football coach salary database here

How much does Houston pay Willie Fritz in 2025?

Houston is scheduled to pay Fritz $4,500,000 for the 2025 season. But that number could go up based on potential bonuses. In addition to School Pay, Houston also paid $1,000,000 on Fritz's behalf to Tulane to cover the buyout he owed that school. Houston also agreed to pay any taxes that Fritz may incur in connection with this payment.

How much is Willie Fritz's buyout at Houston in 2025?

As of Dec. 1, 2025, if the school fires Fritz without cause, he would be set to receive $10,375,000, which ranks as the No. 49 most expensive buyout out of the 105 USA TODAY's could review and No. 9 in the Big 12 Conference.

USA TODAY's available data does not include buyout figures for Big 12 members TCU, Baylor and BYU.

All buyout figures are calculated using the same hypothetical date of a coach's separation with their school. Many of buyout clauses reviewed by USA TODAY are expressly subject to coach's duty to make good-faith efforts to find another job, with income from that employment offsetting the amount owed. If mitigation and offset are not addressed in contract, the coach may still have an obligation to make efforts in that regard. The amount listed may be owed to coach over an extended period of time, rather than as a lump sum at termination. Amount may not take into account per-day pro-rating for a partial contract year.

How much can Willie Fritz earn in bonuses in 2025?

The most Fritz can earn in bonuses from Houston for the 2025-26 season and school year is $1,500,000, which ranks tied for 37th greatest possible total out of the 111 that USA TODAY could review. Fritz's maximum bonus ranks No. 7 in the Big 12 Conference.

USA TODAY's available data does not include maximum bonus figures for Big 12 members TCU, Baylor and BYU.

To see the methodology behind these data, click here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Houston football coach Willie Fritz 2025 contract details: Salary, buyout and more