New Purdue University head men’s swimming coach Alex Jerden received a 75% raise moving from the program’s assistant coach to head coach, offer letters from the university show.
Jerden was making $5,000 per month, or $60,000 per year, in his previous role as the program’s head coach. He was promoted earlier this summer to replace the retiring Dan Ross, and his base salary was raised to $8,570 per month, or $105,000 per year.
That salary is competitive with other single gender Power 5 head coaches that are at a similar level to the Purdue men performance wise. It’s also a savings off the $131,319.22 salary that Ross was making at the end of his tenure.
Jerden will also receive a vehicle stipend of $500 per month and has an opportunity for both academic and performance bonuses. Jerden can earn up to $57,225 in performance bonuses if the team were to win the Big Ten Championship and NCAA Championship in the same year (something that Purdue is currently a long way from).
Based on last year’s results, he would have earned a $3,150 bonus for the team’s 6th place finish at Big Tens and $2,625 for qualifying athletes to NCAAs, plus any earned academic bonuses.
Alex Jerden‘s Bonus Structure
| Metric | Standard | % of Base Salary | % Amount | Notes |
| GSR | Meets or Exceeds National Average | 6% of Base salary | $6,300 | |
| Cumulative GPA | Meets Expected Range | 3% of Base Salary | $3,150 |
Either Meets or Exceeds, not both
|
| Cumulative GPA | Exceeds Expected Range | 6% of Base Salary | $6,300 |
Either Meets or Exceeds, not both
|
| Big Ten Championship Finish | 1st | 10% of Base Salary | $10,500 |
Bonuses for Big Ten Championships are not cumulative
|
| 2nd | 8% of Base Salary | $8,400 | ||
| 3rd | 6% of Base Salary | $6,300 | ||
| 4th | 3% of Base Salary | $3,150 | ||
| 5th | 3% of Base Salary | $3,150 | ||
| 6th | 3% of Base Salary | $3,150 | ||
|
Big Ten Coach of the Year
|
5% of Base Salary | $5,250 | ||
|
National Coach of the Year
|
10% of Base Salary | $10,500 | ||
| NCAA Championships | Invite | 2.5% of Base Salary | $2,625 |
Bonuses for NCAA Championship Finish are Cumulative
|
| Top 32 | 2.5% of Base Salary | $2,625 | ||
| Top 25 | 2.5% of Base Salary | $2,625 | ||
| Top 12 | 2.5% of Base Salary | $2,625 | ||
| Top 6 | 2.5% of Base Salary | $2,625 | ||
| Top 25 | 2.5% of Base Salary | $2,625 | ||
| NCAA Championship | 2.5% of Base Salary | $2,625 |
Jerden does not have a contract and can be terminated with or without cause at any time, with no further obligation to pay unearned pay or bonuses. That also means that Jerden has no buyout clauses.
“Jerden does not have a contract and can be terminated with or without cause at any time, with no further obligation to pay unearned pay or bonuses. That also means that Jerden has no buyout clauses.”
For some reason this sounds ominous, but he already made a great hire ◇
While i hope he does better than Dan Ross (which shouldn’t be difficult) and makes some of the incentive pay, I hope Purdue pays dive coach Adam Sodati much more. Every time Purdue finishes 4th (their highest ever) is because of huge diving points. That also includes finishing in the top 25 at NCAA’s. That guy is a gem.
Well defined and definitions for success!
Congratulations Coach! Don’t hate me for pointing this out… but my guy will only get an extra $2650 for winning an NCAA Championship vs getting 25th??? Bruh if Purdue wins the chip I will personally give this man $2650
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Congratulations, Alex! Well deserved!
Remember this guy when he was a volunteer assistant at UT. Congrats Alex!