Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for umpires, referees, and other sports officials in the U.S. is $40,710, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $40,710
- Mean annual wage
- $53,010
- Median hourly wage
- —
- Employment
- 15,780
15,780 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $26,540 | — |
| 25th percentile | $32,260 | — |
| Median (50th) | $40,710 | — |
| 75th percentile | $57,160 | — |
| 90th percentile | $82,960 | — |
Highest-paying states for umpires, referees, and other sports officials
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $67,600 | 420 |
| North Dakota | $63,920 | 180 |
| South Carolina | $61,290 | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $57,000 | 300 |
| Ohio | $55,040 | 580 |
| Louisiana | $50,080 | 310 |
| Illinois | $49,070 | 690 |
| Massachusetts | $48,400 | 250 |
| West Virginia | $46,490 | 50 |
| Arizona | $46,440 | 210 |
Lowest-paying states
- Oklahoma: $21,900 median annual wage
- Kansas: $25,780 median annual wage
- North Carolina: $26,540 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $27,060 median annual wage
- Georgia: $28,360 median annual wage
About this occupation
Officiate at competitive athletic or sporting events. Detect infractions of rules and decide penalties according to established regulations. Includes all sporting officials, referees, and competition judges.
Typical tasks
- Inspect game sites for compliance with regulations or safety requirements.
- Teach and explain the rules and regulations governing a specific sport.
- Report to regulating organizations regarding sporting activities, complaints made, and actions taken or needed, such as fines or other disciplinary actions.
- Judge performances in sporting competitions to award points, impose scoring penalties, and determine results.
- Verify scoring calculations before competition winners are announced.
- Direct participants to assigned areas, such as starting blocks or penalty areas.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 2.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 13.0% |
| Some college, no degree | 19.5% |
| Associate's degree | 6.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 39.0% |
| Master's degree | 15.0% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 5.1% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.