Virginia Tech’s new head coach James Franklin will earn approximately $8.2 million per year under a five-year contract, as confirmed by the university last Friday. This amount is about $300,000 less than his previous salary at Penn State, yet it still positions him among the top 20 highest-paid coaches in college football.

Franklin’s compensation package is structured with a base salary of $500,000, with the remainder derived from various incentives. Notably, his salary is set to increase annually, peaking at $12.75 million by 2030.

Additionally, Virginia Tech plans to enhance Franklin’s salary pool to $15.5 million, granting him ample funds to build his coaching staff. His contract includes multiple incentives, including:

• Up to $250,000 in bonuses for achieving 12-win seasons.
• $150,000 for Coach of the Year awards.
• Bonuses for participating in the ACC Championship Game and College Football Playoff, with up to $800,000 for winning the national championship.

In light of his hiring, Penn State and Franklin agreed to reduce his buyout from $49 million to just $9 million on his prior contract. Franklin was released from Penn State after a 3-3 start to the 2025 season, holding a record of 104-45 during his tenure, which included three finishes in the AP Top 25 and a Big Ten title in 2016, along with a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024.

He succeeds Brent Pry, his former defensive coordinator at Penn State, who struggled to secure more than seven wins and departed with a record of 0-3.