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.
National median · BLS
$40,710
▲ +4.87%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$53,010
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
15,780
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$26,540
25th
$32,260
Median (50th)
$40,710
75th
$57,160
90th — top pay
$82,960
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
BLS projects employment of umpires, referees, and other sports officials to grow 5.2% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 4,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
18,200 → 19,200
+900 jobs
Projected change
+5.2%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
4,300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
9.7% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What umpires, referees, and other sports officials do
Officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed.
Inspect game sites for compliance with regulations or safety requirements.
Resolve claims of rule infractions or complaints by participants and assess any necessary penalties, according to regulations.
Signal participants or other officials to make them aware of infractions or to otherwise regulate play or competition.
Teach and explain the rules and regulations governing a specific sport.
Inspect sporting equipment or examine participants to ensure compliance with event and safety regulations.
Report to regulating organizations regarding sporting activities, complaints made, and actions taken or needed, such as fines or other disciplinary actions.
Confer with other sporting officials, coaches, players, and facility managers to provide information, coordinate activities, and discuss problems.
Also called
Horse Show JudgeMajor League Baseball Umpire (MLB Umpire)RefereeSports OfficialBasketball RefereeDiving JudgeDressage JudgeFootball RefereeSoccer RefereeSoftball Umpire
More job titles for this occupation (43)
Athletic Events ScorerBaseball CoachBaseball UmpireBasketball ManagerBasketball ScorekeeperClerk of ScalesClockerDance CriticEquestrian Events JudgeFlag Football RefereeHandicapperHarness Racing HandicapperHoof and Shoe InspectorHorse IdentifierHorse Race StarterHorse Race TimerIntramural Sports OfficialLeague CoordinatorMarshalPaddock JudgePatrol JudgePit StewardPlacing JudgePresiding StewardRace StarterRacetrack StewardRacing SecretaryScoreboard OperatorScorekeeperScorerSoccer OfficialSports Activities Foul JudgeStarterState RefereeStewardessTest ScorerTimekeeperUltimate Hoops RefereeUmpireVolleyball OfficialVolleyball RefereeYouth Soccer RefereeYouth Sports Official
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $40,710.
