A $5 million buyout and and a $6.5 million salary pool for assistant coaches are just two highlights from new Kansas State head coach Collin Klein’s contract, which the athletics department released on Wednesday.
As previously announced, Klein’s deal runs for five years and will have a base salary of $4.1 million for the 2026 season. That amount will increase by $100,000 for the next four seasons.
That ranks 10th in the Big 12, and is higher than the two other new hires in the conference: Iowa State’s Jimmy Rogers ($3 million) and Oklahoma State’s Eric Morris ($3.8 million).
If the Wildcats win six or more games in any of those four seasons, that will trigger up to two automatic extensions.
With the two auto-extensions, Klein’s deal equals $30.8 million before any bonuses.
Since Klein is starting before the start of 2026, he’ll be paid a prorated base salary calculated using the $4.1 million for the 2026-27 school year.
If Klein were to leave before the end of the contract for any reason, the buy-out owed to K-State would be $5 million if he leaves before Dec. 31, 2026. That amount decreases by $1 million if he leaves before Dec. 31 of the next three years, and then drops to $1 million if he leaves anytime from Jan. 1, 2030, to Dec. 1, 2030. After Dec. 1, 2030, the buyout drops to $0.
