What Is the Salary Cap Power 4 Execs Use for NIL Contracts? Latest Rumors on Budgets

A sizable gap exists between the Power Four conferences and the Group of Five when it comes to their roster budgets, according to The Athletic's Sam Khan Jr. and Antonio Morales.

Khan and Morales outlined the overall outlays from revenue-sharing money:

"Most Power 4 athletic departments are operating at or near the revenue-sharing cap of $20.5 million, with 65-75 percent of that being allocated to the football roster. However, there are no Group of 5 programs close to the cap. Power 4 football roster budgets are usually between $13 and $15 million, with some top spenders reaching above $25 million. Most G5 roster budgets in 2025 ranged between $1 million and $10 million, though the majority were below $5 million."

They broke down some of the individualized costs.

One personnel staffer from a Power Four school estimated that quarterback recruits generally command around $100,000 to $300,000, though the cost can climb to $750,000 or $1 million for 5-star prospects.

Nico Iamaleava reportedly got an NIL deal worth $8 million when he signed with Tennessee, while Michigan's Bryce Underwood could reportedly earn close to eight figures in Ann Arbor.

Offensive lineman can range from $100,000 to $500,000, with defensive linemen hitting a similar similar level.

"It's like the NFL draft," one agent told Khan and Morales. "Quarterbacks, offensive tackles, defensive linemen and edge rushers are a premium."

Not surprisingly, exceptions are made when players from a non-premium position warrant sizable compensation.

"The reality is any school is gonna pay any amount of money that they deem worth it," the agent said. "If a school deems a guard worth $750K, they'll pay it."

This broadly applies to recruits who sign with Power Four schools, though. Khan and Morales reported Group of Five signees "are typically receiving annual compensation in the five-figure range, if they're getting paid at all."

Schools in non-power conferences earmark a larger share of their budget for player retention and transfers. With less money to go around, paying for proven talent makes more sense than gambling on high schoolers who haven't yet logged a college snap.

In theory, the dawn of the NIL era helped level the playing field because non-marquee schools could more easily achieve success if they were willing to spend. That has proven true to a degree with Indiana and Texas Tech both ranked in the top five and Vanderbilt winning 10 games for the first time in its history.

The gulf between the Power Four and the Group of Five persists, however.