Kentucky Wildcats would not have expected their 15-year-long head coach, John Calipari, to announce his departure in 2024. He was the man who had led the college program to their only championship ring this century in 2012. However, ever since then, the title remained elusive of the head coach’s reach and last season failure meant the team had not reached Final Four since a decade. Therefore, Calipari, the coach who was getting second highest pay nationally at Kentucky, decided to leave and left the room for a new master in office: Mark Pope.

The Kentucky university, whom most expected to bring someone with a lot of experience under his belt, surprised everyone with their alum, Mark Pope. With a resume boasting no title as a coach, Kentucky saving its expenditure was a speculation. But not really. His contract might be as not impressive as Calipari, but is quite decent.

What is Mark Pope’s contract with Kentucky? How long is the deal?

In April 2024, the University of Kentucky hired Pope to a five-year contract that would expire on March 31, 2029. Pope and Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart signed the contract on May 13, 2024, with Kentucky president Eli Capilouto signing a week later, marking Kentucky’s long-term investment in their former player.

Pope, who was Kentucky a player in that school’s 1996 national championship season, not only adds coaching experience to the Wildcats’ staff but also returns to the program as an alum. While his contract isn’t up there with some of the most lucrative and gaudy deals some of the nation’s highest-paid coaches are enjoying, it clearly supports Kentucky’s belief in his potential to restore the program to greatness. Now let’s look at the financial numbers, and how much he is set to earn this season.

How much will Mark Pope earn in the 2024-25 NCAA season?

For the 2024-25 season, Mark Pope’s base salary is $5 million. But that is only the beginning. Pope’s contract calls for his salary to be hiked by $250,000 annually. Meaning Pope will take home a bigger paycheck in the coming seasons. The lucrative deal makes him one of the higher-paid coaches in college basketball.

But wait, there’s more. Pope could also make more money if the team meets a series of incentives. Pope will earn $500K if the Wildcats win the national championship, $250K for a Final Four appearance, $100K for an Elite Eight appearance, and $50K for making the Sweet 16. The incentives also include potential bonuses for success in the SEC, including $100K for a regular season title and $50K for winning the conference tournament.

And then there are automatic contract extensions and other bonuses for academic success, including $25,000 if the team GPA is 3.0 or better. So a lot of potential to make even more money based on how successful Pope’s Wildcats are on the court and in the classroom.

What was Mark Pope’s previous contract with the Kentucky Wildcats?

Mark Pope had no contract with the Kentucky Wildcats before his current one. In 2024, Pope was announced as Kentucky Wildcats head coach. It was the first time Pope agreed to a contract with Kentucky Wildcats as a head coach. He played for Kentucky from 1994 to 1996, a team captain on the ’96 national championship team.

Pope had been the head coach at Brigham Young University (BYU) from 2019 to 2024 and at Utah Valley University from 2015 to 2019. His previous programs’ success, notably at BYU, in his coaching led to securing the Kentucky job. Therefore, while he did not have any prior contacts with Kentucky as a coach, his history with the program and successful coaching record made him the ideal candidate for the job.

What is Mark Pope’s net worth in 2025?

As of 2025, Mark Pope’s exact net worth hasn’t been publicly disclosed, which is not all that unusual for high-profile coaches who prefer to keep their financial details private. While his salary is public knowledge, it’s unclear exactly how much Pope is worth outside of his coaching contract.

What we do know, is that he’s making a five-year, $27.5 million deal with Kentucky makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in college basketball. According to USA Today’s database for the 2024-2025 season, Pope is the 11th highest-paid coach in the sport.

With incentives built into his contract and the chance to make a little bit more money based on what the Wildcats do on the field, Pope’s net worth is surely on track to skyrocket over the next few years. Given Kentucky’s championship aspirations and Pope’s incentive to win, it’s obvious that he has plenty to gain both financially and professionally if he can get the Wildcats back to the top of the mountain.