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Details, salary of Ole Miss AD Keith Carter's contract extension revealed

On3 imageby: Billy Embody07/31/25BillyEmbody
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Keith Carter. (OM Athletics)

Ole Miss extended athletic director Keith Carter’s contract through 2029, the school announced in July. The details and salary of the contract extension were revealed, according to CollegeAD.

“Carter is set to earn an annual base salary of $1,274,501 and will receive $225,499 each year in supplemental compensation through the Ole Miss Athletic Foundation,” the report said. “Carter can also receive bonus compensation, including $25K for a top-30 finish in the Learfield Directors’ Cup and $50K for a top-25 finish.”

He’s also set to earn a big bonus, if he’s still in Oxford come 2027.

“Also: ‘If Carter is still employed with Ole Miss by 2027, he will receive a one-time retention bonus of $400K,'” the report said. “Both parties have the ability to cancel the contract at any time without cause. Should Ole Miss do so, they will owe Carter all remaining base salary and any accrued supplemental compensation. Should Carter terminate his contract, Ole Miss will be left to end the contract and cease any and all payments to him. He will not pay any liquidated damages.”

Carter, a former Ole Miss basketball player, takes the job seriously and treats it as an honor. Ole Miss is coming off one of the most successful athletic years in history.

“It’s an incredible honor to continue leading Ole Miss Athletics, and I’m grateful to Chancellor Boyce for his support and the trust he’s placed in me and our team,” Carter said. “His guidance and friendship have provided me great strength to confidently direct our department. I am also indebted to the Athletics Foundation and its membership for their belief in me and our program as a whole. We could not compete at this championship level without their passionate support.

“While we take pride in what we’ve achieved thus far, we firmly believe the best is yet to come. We’re excited to build on our success and further strengthen our position as one of the top brands in college athletics.”

Ole Miss placed 27th in the Learfield Cup this year, marking just its third finish of 27 or better in the cup’s history and all in the last five years under Carter’s leadership. The Rebels’ 20th-place finish in 2021-22 stands as the highest ever for a Mississippi school and came on the heels of a No. 22 rank following the 2020-21 campaign.

Before Carter’s tenure, Ole Miss recorded only two top-40 finishes and five top-50 since the 1994 launch. 

Carter’s administration has brought facility growth including a $45 million renovation of the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center that was completed in July 2023 and the $32 million construction of the new Ole Miss Softball Stadium that opened in February. Other projects in the near future include renovations at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium and Ole Miss Golf Complex.

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