In fiscal year 2025, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Football program reported $87.9M in revenue and $49.3M in expenses, for a net surplus of $38.7M. The program generated $87.9M in total revenue, led by Media Rights at $51.9M. Among the 78 FBS programs reporting Football data, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks 23rd overall in total expenses (23rd of 42 Power Four programs) — above the FBS average of $36.5M. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign competes in the Big Ten; financial data is available from FY2018 through FY2025.
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Media Rights | $51,939,441 |
| Ticket Sales | $15,019,016 |
| Conference Distributions of Football Bowl Generated Revenue | $12,450,515 |
| Royalties, Licensing, Advertisement and Sponsorships | $2,713,736 |
| Contributions | $2,333,455 |
| Program, Novelty, Parking and Concession Sales | $1,612,939 |
| Athletics Restricted Endowment and Investments Income | $612,437 |
| Direct State or Other Government Support | $609,814 |
| Football Bowl Revenues | $588,415 |
| In-Kind | $43,587 |
| Sports Camp Revenues | $16,749 |
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Coaching Salaries, Benefits and Bonuses paid by the University and Related Entities | $15,546,663 |
| Support Staff/Administrative Compensation, Benefits and Bonuses paid by the University and Related Entities | $5,875,316 |
| Athletic Student Aid | $4,350,416 |
| Facilities Maintenance and Operations | $4,275,679 |
| Football Bowl Expenses | $2,829,500 |
| Student-Athlete Meals (non-travel) | $2,578,792 |
| Game Expenses | $2,461,244 |
| Team Travel | $2,412,991 |
| Guarantees | $2,175,000 |
| Recruiting | $1,663,605 |
| Other Operating Expenses | $1,176,075 |
| Sports Equipment, Uniforms and Supplies | $1,073,290 |
| Direct Overhead and Administrative Expenses | $1,064,675 |
| Football Bowl Expenses - Coaching Compensation/Bonuses | $911,087 |
| Enhanced Educational Benefits (Alston or other) | $592,969 |
| Severance Payments | $175,000 |
| Medical Expenses and Insurance | $62,604 |
| Memberships and Dues | $37,316 |
| Sports Camp Expenses | $6,228 |
| Fiscal Year | Revenue | Expenses | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $87,940,104 | $49,268,450 | +$38.7M |
| FY2024 | $137,462,278 | $73,040,953 | +$64.4M |
| FY2023 | $141,016,438 | $66,375,018 | +$74.6M |
| FY2022 | $126,416,452 | $54,222,517 | +$72.2M |
| FY2021 | $83,304,314 | $39,734,980 | +$43.6M |
| FY2020 | $131,174,162 | $49,978,540 | +$81.2M |
The Fighting Illini football program generated $87.9M in revenue in FY2025, driven largely by $51.9M in media rights, while holding expenses to $49.3M — well above the FBS average of $36.5M but producing a healthy $38.7M surplus. Coaching salaries, benefits, and bonuses represented the program's single largest cost at $15.5M, ranking 23rd among 78 FBS programs in total spending. Notably, expenses dropped sharply from $73.0M in FY2024 to $49.3M in FY2025, a reduction of nearly $24M that significantly boosted the program's
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