Collin Klein is coming home. The former Kansas State quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist is set to replace Chris Klieman as the Wildcats’ head coach. This brings one of the most beloved figures in program history back to Manhattan after a brief but successful stint as Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator. The move reunites Klein with a program where he made history as a player, leading the Wildcats to an 11-2 record in 2012 while finishing second in Heisman voting behind Johnny Manziel.​

Kansas State insider Derek Young dropped the news with conviction. “It’s on. I anticipate Collin Klein being announced as the Kansas State head coach today and in Manhattan on Friday and Saturday.” 

Klein represents continuity and excitement. But the big question is what this transition will cost Kansas State financially. How much is Klein currently making at Texas A&M, and what kind of buyout will the Wildcats have to pay to pry him away from College Station?​

Current salary of Collin Klein

Klein signed a three-year contract with Texas A&M when Mike Elko hired him in December 2023. That deal runs through January 31, 2027. According to records, his contract is worth $5.1 million total with annual escalators built in. In his first year (2024), Klein earned a base salary of $1.6 million. 

This season, he’s making $1.7 million. And if he had stayed through 2026, his salary would have jumped to $1.8 million. Those numbers put him among the highest-paid offensive coordinators in college football. The contract also included various performance-based incentives, though the details of those bonuses weren’t fully disclosed.​

Collin Klein’s buyout

Here’s where things get really interesting for Kansas State. There is no buyout. Klein’s contract with Texas A&M specifically included a clause that waived any buyout requirement if he left for an FBS head coaching job. Kansas State doesn’t have to pay Texas A&M a single dollar to hire Klein away. 

According to Carter Karels of GigEm247, “Klein didn’t have a buyout if he departed for another FBS head coach job at any point, per the initial three-year contract he signed with Texas A&M.” Now, there was a buyout structure in place if Klein had tried to leave for another coordinator position or a non-FBS job.

It was $1.7 million if he departed on or before December 17, dropping to $510,000 on December 18. But since this is a head coaching opportunity at an FBS program, that buyout doesn’t apply. It’s essentially a free pickup for the Wildcats. They won’t have to navigate the kind of multi-million-dollar buyout situations we’ve seen with other coordinator-to-head-coach hires this cycle.​

Potential contract with Kansas State

Kansas State hasn’t officially announced the contract details for Klein yet. However, we can make some educated guesses based on what his predecessor earned and the current market for Power Four head coaches. Chris Klieman was earning $5.25 million annually at Kansas State, ranking him 46th among college football head coaches nationwide. That’s a significant bump from Klein’s $1.7 million coordinator salary.

Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor has shown a willingness to invest in football. Given Klein’s status as a program legend and the buzz his hiring will generate, it’s reasonable to expect Kansas State to offer a salary in the $5-6 million per year range, accompanied by a multi-year commitment, likely five or six years to start. That would put Klein right in the middle of Big 12 head coach salaries, competitive with coaches like Willie Fritz at Houston but below the league’s top earners. 

The Wildcats will also likely include robust incentives tied to bowl appearances, Big 12 championships, and College Football Playoff berths. This is all standard stuff for head coaching contracts in today’s landscape. Klein staying on with Texas A&M through their playoff run before officially taking over in Manhattan could also factor into how the contract is structured. But either way, he’s about to get a massive raise and the keys to his dream job.