Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials: Career Overview
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.
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What Tasks Do Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of umpires, referees, and other sports officials cover:
- 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.
What Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Need to Know
Successful umpires, referees, and other sports officials rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Athletic Events Scorer
- Baseball Coach
- Baseball Umpire
- Basketball Manager
- Basketball Referee
- Basketball Scorekeeper
- Clerk of Scales
- Clocker
Employment and Demand
There are about 283,978 umpires, referees, and other sports officials working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +2.6% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $42,670 |
| Hourly median | $20.51 |
| 10th percentile | $26,918 |
| 25th percentile | $34,794 |
| 75th percentile | $50,546 |
| 90th percentile | $58,422 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $83,570 |
| Kentucky | $57,450 |
| South Carolina | $57,390 |
| Minnesota | $52,630 |
| New Hampshire | $52,580 |
| Louisiana | $52,320 |
| Maryland | $50,720 |
| Maine | $48,400 |
| New Jersey | $47,620 |
| Illinois | $47,010 |
| Arizona | $45,240 |
| Wisconsin | $44,810 |
| California | $44,590 |
| Virginia | $43,940 |
| Vermont | $43,860 |
| West Virginia | $43,600 |
| Colorado | $42,120 |
| Oregon | $41,540 |
| Washington | $40,040 |
| Connecticut | $37,790 |
| Texas | $37,610 |
| Missouri | $37,300 |
| Indiana | $37,060 |
| South Dakota | $36,380 |
| Nebraska | $34,370 |
| Iowa | $34,010 |
| Kansas | $32,970 |
| Michigan | $32,900 |
| Montana | $31,050 |
| Florida | $30,190 |
| Utah | $29,920 |
| Georgia | $28,360 |
| New Mexico | $28,210 |
| Ohio | $26,250 |
| Idaho | $25,230 |
| North Carolina | $25,070 |
| Nevada | $23,820 |
| Oklahoma | $23,150 |
| Mississippi | $23,080 |
| Tennessee | $23,080 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for umpires, referees, and other sports officials vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $58,598 | 3.6% | 1.20 |
| Far Western US | $43,637 | 23.4% | 1.50 |
| Great Lakes | $38,790 | 14.2% | 1.05 |
| Southwest | $36,593 | 6.8% | 0.55 |
| Southeast | $35,873 | 12.9% | 0.84 |
| Rocky Mountains | $34,346 | 15.2% | 4.26 |
| Plains States | $33,582 | 13.6% | 2.90 |
| Middle Atlantic | $14,826 | 10.3% | 0.77 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | VA | $83,580 | 40 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $83,570 | 120 |
| Bismarck, ND | ND | $68,550 | 80 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | LA | $62,090 | 150 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $54,170 | 120 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $53,560 | 480 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | WI | $51,730 | 60 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $51,210 | 580 |
Top Industries Employing Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
The largest employers of umpires, referees, and other sports officials are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 6,440 | n/a |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,550 | n/a |
| Educational Services | 1,320 | n/a |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 130 | n/a |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 80 | n/a |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for umpires, referees, and other sports officials is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Spend Time Standing
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Getting Started in This Career
Most umpires, referees, and other sports officials positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary (Supplemental)
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Compliance Officers (Primary-Long)
- Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners (Supplemental)
- Training and Development Specialists (Supplemental)
- Self-Enrichment Teachers (Primary-Long)
- Athletes and Sports Competitors (Primary-Short)
- Coaches and Scouts (Primary-Short)
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 27-2023.00 (Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials).
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