how much did indiana pay mendoza

Indiana did not pay Fernando Mendoza a traditional salary to join the Hoosiers; instead, his money comes from NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals with sponsors, and public reports do not show a specific guaranteed dollar amount that Indiana itself “paid” him.

Quick context

• College players cannot be “salaried” employees of their universities in the same way pros are, so there is no official contract number that Indiana paid directly to Mendoza.

• His earnings are tied to NIL endorsements (like Adidas and his “Mendoza Mania” brand) and overall NIL valuation, not a payment line item from Indiana.

What the numbers look like

• Industry trackers estimate Fernando Mendoza’s NIL portfolio at about $2.6 million around the 2025–26 season, putting him among the top-valued players in college football.

• Earlier in the year his valuation was closer to the low–mid seven figures before rising after Indiana’s undefeated season and his Heisman win.

• Some outlets estimate his personal net worth in the hundreds of thousands up to around $1 million , but that is separate from Indiana and is not a confirmed payout figure.

Did any school “offer” him more?

• Reporting indicates that Mendoza reportedly turned down about $3 million from Miami to instead transfer to Indiana.

• That $3 million is framed as a potential NIL package value, not a guaranteed salary check from the university itself.

So, answering “how much did Indiana pay Mendoza?”

• There is no public, verified figure that Indiana “paid” Mendoza directly; what exists are estimates of his NIL value and reports about offers from other programs.

• The best concrete public number tied to his time at Indiana is the approximate $2.6 million NIL valuation for his deals and branding, but that is spread across sponsors and time, not a simple lump sum payment from Indiana.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.