Report: Ohio State to pay Ross Bjork just over $2 million annually

Ohio State is set to pay new athletic director Ross Bjork a salary of over $2 million per year, according to reports.

Bjork’s contract, which was obtained by The Columbus Dispatch, revealed that Bjork’s base salary sits at $1.65 million, $350,000 in media, promotions and public relations and $60,000 in fringe benefits, according to Joey Kaufman‘s report.

The five-year contract will run through June 30, 2029. However, his contract is not official until it is approved by the university’s board of trustees.

Bjork was hired as Buckeyes AD on Tuesday after spending four years at Texas A&M in the same role. He replaces longtime athletic director Gene Smith in Columbus, and will take full control of the athletic department when Smith leaves the program. According to the report, he will “step into a formal role at Ohio State” beginning in March.

From March 1 until Smith’s tenure is over, Bjork’s official title will be senior advisor to the athletic department, which earns him a monthly pay of $175,000, according to an offer of employment letter obtained by Kaufman. He will be paid out $700,000 over the four month period between March 1 and July 1.

Ohio State is also offering aid to Bjork by covering his $750,000 buyout from Texas A&M. His contract with the Aggies ran through 2026. The university will also allow him north of $25,000 in moving expenses while providing Bjork and his family a temporary living allowance.

As of this report, Bjork is still working as athletic director for Texas A&M. During his introductory press conference in Columbus on Wednesday, revealed that he would be wrapping things up in College Station over the next couple of weeks.

More on Ross Bjork

The 51-year-old Bjork took over as the Aggies’ AD in 2019 after spending eight years at Ole Miss.

Before that, however, Bjork started his career in 1996 at Western Kentucky for two years. He moved to Missouri from 1997-2003 in a variety of roles as an assistant AD. Then in 2003, he became the associate AD at Miami for three years. In 2005, Bjork went out west to become the senior associate athletic director at UCLA. 

Once 2010 rolled around, Bjork became the youngest athletic director among FBS schools went he took over Western Kentucky upon his return. After three years, he moved onto Ole Miss.

Alas, Bjork leaves the Aggies after hiring former Duke head coach Mike Elko to replace Jimbo Fisher on the football field. It was seen as a big change following the disappointment and lack of a national title from Fisher and staff.

At the time, Bjork explained that the search firm helped in the process but that Elko was always one of the top candidates. Additionally, Bjork stated that Elko showed Texas A&M throughout the process that he was the right person to instill a winning culture in the program.

Now at Ohio State, it’ll be Ryan Day who Ross Bjork is working with towards the common goal of a national title. Time will tell how they work out, but it’s evident the winds of change are blowing in both College Station and Columbus.