Tim Polasek: Earnings as NDSU Head Coach and Net Worth

April 2024 · 3 minute read

Tim Polasek’s Salary: Having secured the role of head coach at NDSU, Tim Polasek is poised to see a significant rise in his income and net worth. His previous position was as the offensive coordinator and QB coach at the University of Wyoming, where he earned $350,000. An ex-college quarterback, Polasek has spent nearly two decades in coaching roles. He is set to embark on his first head coaching tenure in 2024, following Matt Entz’s resignation to join USC as the LB coach. Originally from Iola, Wisconsin, Polasek commenced his coaching career in 2003 at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Following three seasons, he transitioned to a graduate assistant role under head coach Craig Bohl at NDSU. Polasek remained there until 2012, fulfilling the role of a running back, tight ends, and fullbacks coach. Subsequently, he spent a season at Northern Illinois before returning for his second term at NDSU (2014-16). Subsequently, he served as the offensive line coach for Kirk Ferentz’s Iowa Hawkeyes (2017-20) and as the offensive coordinator for Wyoming (2021-23). He assumed the position of head coach at NDSU in 2024.

How Much Does Tim Polasek Earn? Income and Net Worth

Given his twenty years of coaching experience, it is apparent that the 44-year-old Polasek is enjoying a lucrative career. In 2024, he became the 32nd head coach of the NDSU Bisons. While the specific details of his contract remain undisclosed, it’s plausible that his income is within the same range as his predecessor, who was earning approximately $400,000 annually. Former NDSU coach Mark Entz was under a five-year contract with the football program, signed in 2019, costing $380,000 in the first year, which escalated to $396,619 by 2023. Tim Polasek’s net worth was estimated to be $1.5 million in 2023.

Tim Polasek

As a result of his tenure as head coach at NDSU, his fortunes may see a significant upturn in the days ahead. Prior to this role, Polasek served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Wyoming Cowboys (2021-23), reportedly earning an annual compensation of $350,000. Furthermore, during his time as the offensive line coach for the Iowa Hawkeyes (2017-20), he received a peak salary of $396,000 in 2020. Originally slated to earn $440,000 that season, his income was reduced by $44,000 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tim Polasek’s Transformation From ‘Homeless’ to New NDSU Head Coach

During his news conference on December 18, 2023, announcing his appointment as NDSU’s head coach, Polasek was visibly moved to tears. His return to Fargo to coach the Bisons stems from a risk he took in 2006 when then-coach Craig Bohl reached out to offer him a graduate assistant position. At that time, Polasek was working as a QB coach at Wisconsin-Stevens Point while simultaneously holding a part-time role at a logging firm.

Despite being offered $40,000 per year by Wisconsin-Stevens Point, he opted to join the NDSU Bisons for a six-month salary of $6,000. As the story goes, he purportedly sold his golf driver to a friend for $280 to fund his relocation to Fargo, where he met his wife, Jill. A lack of housing arrangements left him “homeless” for the initial three months, during which he slept on any available sofa or chair at the dome. From 2007 to 2011, he served as the running backs coach at NDSU before assuming the role of special teams coordinator in 2012.

Tim Polasek

In 2013, Polasek moved to Northern Illinois as a TE/FB coach before returning to North Dakota State as the offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2016. He was part of four NCAA Division I Football Championship teams with the Bisons (2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015). After an eight-year absence, he returned to NDSU in 2024 as the head coach, succeeding Matt Entz, who departed to join USC as the LB coach.


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