All About Umpires, Referees, and Sports Officials
Sports Official Example 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.
Life As a Sports Official: What Do They Do?
- Confer with other sporting officials, coaches, players, and facility managers in order to provide information, coordinate activities, and discuss problems.
- Judge performances in sporting competitions in order to award points, impose scoring penalties, and determine results.
- Teach and explain the rules and regulations governing a specific sport.
- Inspect sporting equipment and/or examine participants in order to ensure compliance with event and safety regulations.
- Direct participants to assigned areas such as starting blocks or penalty areas.
- Signal participants or other officials to make them aware of infractions or to otherwise regulate play or competition.
Featured schools near , edit
Qualities of a Sports Official
Umpires, Referees, and Sports Officials state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Related Job Titles
- Harness Racing Handicapper
- Major League Baseball Umpire
- Marshal
- Steward/Stewardess
- Patrol Judge
Job Demand for Umpires, Referees, and Sports Officials
There were about 21,100 jobs for Umpire, Referee, or Sports Official in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,600 new jobs for Umpire, Referee, or Sports Official by 2026. There will be an estimated 3,000 positions for Sports Official per year.
The states with the most job growth for Sports Official are Nebraska, New Mexico, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in West Virginia, South Carolina, or Oklahoma. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Sports Official Salary
The average yearly salary of a Sports Official ranges between $18,220 and $59,240.
Umpires, Referees, and Sports Officials who work in Kentucky, Washington, or West Virginia, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Umpires, Referees, and Sports Officials in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $20,110 |
Alaska | $36,900 |
Arizona | $42,170 |
California | $32,780 |
Colorado | $32,890 |
Delaware | $30,960 |
Florida | $32,630 |
Georgia | $24,120 |
Idaho | $22,500 |
Illinois | $34,860 |
Iowa | $29,250 |
Kansas | $34,160 |
Kentucky | $46,930 |
Louisiana | $30,400 |
Maine | $26,170 |
Maryland | $36,980 |
Massachusetts | $47,300 |
Michigan | $28,460 |
Minnesota | $40,660 |
Mississippi | $25,930 |
Missouri | $33,560 |
Montana | $22,160 |
Nebraska | $27,730 |
New Hampshire | $40,220 |
New Jersey | $39,490 |
New Mexico | $24,440 |
North Carolina | $35,460 |
North Dakota | $32,370 |
Ohio | $28,670 |
Oklahoma | $37,870 |
Oregon | $28,300 |
Pennsylvania | $29,750 |
Rhode Island | $33,250 |
South Dakota | $28,850 |
Tennessee | $34,010 |
Texas | $34,750 |
Utah | $21,980 |
Vermont | $34,400 |
Virginia | $37,390 |
Washington | $39,130 |
West Virginia | $40,450 |
Wisconsin | $30,860 |
What Tools do Umpires, Referees, and Sports Officials Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Umpires, Referees, and Sports Officials may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Database software
- Video editing software
Becoming a Sports Official
What education or degrees do I need to become an Umpire, Referee, or Sports Official?
What work experience do I need to become a Sports Official?
Where Umpires, Referees, and Sports Officials Are Employed
Umpires, Referees, and Sports Officials work in the following industries:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
Request Info | Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |