Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule 2025 contract details: Salary, buyout and more

Nebraska's Matt Rhule is tied for 15th highest-paid coach in college football, according to USA TODAY's 2025 compensation survey. The Cornhuskers coach is set to earn a total of $8,500,000, not including bonuses, which ranks tied for fourth in the Big Ten Conference.

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

Amounts for coaches at private schools or Pittsburgh are based on 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 Rhule's contract with Nebraska in 2025.

View the entire 2025 college football coach salary database here

How much does Nebraska pay Matt Rhule in 2025?

Nebraska is scheduled to pay Rhule $8,500,000 for the 2025 season. But that number could go up based on potential bonuses.

How much is Matt Rhule's buyout at Nebraska in 2025?

As of Dec. 1, 2025, if the school fires Rhule without cause, he would be set to receive $49,612,500, which ranks as the No. 10 most expensive buyout out of the 105 USA TODAY's could review and No. 4 in the Big Ten Conference.

USA TODAY's available data does not include buyout figures for Big Ten members Northwestern and USC.

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 Matt Rhule earn in bonuses in 2025?

The most Rhule can earn in bonuses from Nebraska for the 2025-26 season and school year is $950,000, which ranks as the No. 67 greatest possible total out of the 111 that USA TODAY could review. Rhule's maximum bonus ranks No. 14 in the Big Ten Conference.

USA TODAY's available data does not include maximum bonus figures for Big Ten members Northwestern and USC.

To see the methodology behind these data, click here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule 2025 contract details: Salary, buyout and more