27 Series · SOC 27-2023
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $40,710
- Median / year
- $82,960
- Top 10% earn
- +5.7%
- Growth '23–'33
- 15,780
- US workers
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials earn a median of $40,710 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $40,710, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $26,540 (10th percentile) to $82,960 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 15,780 US workers. New Jersey pays the most ($67,600), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials earn a median of $40,710, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 13% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks #34 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.7% by 2033.
- $40,710
- Median annual wage
- Top 87%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #34 of 36
- in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- 3.1×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New Jersey at $67,600. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials (SOC 27-2023) pays a national median of $40,710 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $26,540 at the 10th percentile to $82,960 at the 90th, with a mean of $53,010 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 15,780 Americans work in this occupation across 34 reporting states and 77 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 4,600 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.6 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New Jersey pays the highest state median at $67,600, which is +66% above the national figure. The top metro is Green Bay, WI at $77,670 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$40,710
per year
Median Hourly
N/A
per hour
Mean Salary
$53,010
average
Employment
15,780
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$40,710 Bottom 13% higher than 13% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 27-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 27-series occupations with growth data, Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials sits on the faster-growing side at +5.7% growth and $40,710 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+5.7%
About average
Annual Openings
4,600
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.6/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
2.3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed.
- ▸ Judge performances in sporting competitions to award points, impose scoring penalties, and determine results.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Verify scoring calculations before competition winners are announced.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Start races and competitions.
- ▸ Inspect sporting equipment or examine participants to ensure compliance with event and safety regulations.
- ▸ Compile scores and other athletic records.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$26,540
25th Percentile
$32,260
Median
$40,710
75th Percentile
$57,160
90th Percentile
$82,960
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 34 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $67,600 | +66% above national |
| 2 | North Dakota | $63,920 | +57% above national |
| 3 | South Carolina | $61,290 | +51% above national |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $57,000 | +40% above national |
| 5 | Ohio | $55,040 | +35% above national |
| 6 | Louisiana | $50,080 | +23% above national |
| 7 | Illinois | $49,070 | +21% above national |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $48,400 | +19% above national |
| 9 | West Virginia | $46,490 | +14% above national |
| 10 | Arizona | $46,440 | +14% above national |
| 11 | Indiana | $46,140 | +13% above national |
| 12 | Vermont | $46,080 | +13% above national |
| 13 | California | $44,530 | +9% above national |
| 14 | Colorado | $44,230 | +9% above national |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $44,200 | +9% above national |
| 16 | Iowa | $43,040 | +6% above national |
| 17 | Texas | $42,920 | +5% above national |
| 18 | Washington | $41,350 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Virginia | $40,840 | same as national |
| 20 | Connecticut | $39,530 | 3% below national |
| 21 | Oregon | $38,730 | 5% below national |
| 22 | Florida | $37,070 | 9% below national |
| 23 | Montana | $36,370 | 11% below national |
| 24 | South Dakota | $35,260 | 13% below national |
| 25 | Michigan | $34,560 | 15% below national |
| 26 | Missouri | $33,140 | 19% below national |
| 27 | Idaho | $32,250 | 21% below national |
| 28 | Utah | $31,430 | 23% below national |
| 29 | Nebraska | $31,390 | 23% below national |
| 30 | Georgia | $28,360 | 30% below national |
| 31 | Mississippi | $27,060 | 34% below national |
| 32 | North Carolina | $26,540 | 35% below national |
| 33 | Kansas | $25,780 | 37% below national |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $21,900 | 46% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 77 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green Bay, WI | $77,670 | +91% above national |
| 2 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $69,580 | +71% above national |
| 3 | Baton Rouge, LA | $65,230 | +60% above national |
| 4 | Bismarck, ND | $63,920 | +57% above national |
| 5 | Fargo, ND-MN | $63,190 | +55% above national |
| 6 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $62,400 | +53% above national |
| 7 | Columbus, OH | $58,240 | +43% above national |
| 8 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $57,190 | +40% above national |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $57,140 | +40% above national |
| 10 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $56,330 | +38% above national |
| 11 | Akron, OH | $56,200 | +38% above national |
| 12 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $52,000 | +28% above national |
| 13 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $51,600 | +27% above national |
| 14 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $51,230 | +26% above national |
| 15 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $50,250 | +23% above national |
| 16 | Boulder, CO | $49,460 | +21% above national |
| 17 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $49,410 | +21% above national |
| 18 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $49,070 | +21% above national |
| 19 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $47,540 | +17% above national |
| 20 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $46,850 | +15% above national |
| 21 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $46,500 | +14% above national |
| 22 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $46,080 | +13% above national |
| 23 | Pittsburgh, PA | $45,300 | +11% above national |
| 24 | Greeley, CO | $44,990 | +11% above national |
| 25 | Lawrence, KS | $44,930 | +10% above national |
| 26 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $44,890 | +10% above national |
| 27 | Rochester, MN | $44,230 | +9% above national |
| 28 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $44,230 | +9% above national |
| 29 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $44,200 | +9% above national |
| 30 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $43,570 | +7% above national |
| 31 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $43,040 | +6% above national |
| 32 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $42,640 | +5% above national |
| 33 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $42,350 | +4% above national |
| 34 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $41,600 | +2% above national |
| 35 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $41,020 | +1% above national |
| 36 | Fort Wayne, IN | $41,010 | +1% above national |
| 37 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $40,890 | same as national |
| 38 | Salinas, CA | $40,880 | same as national |
| 39 | Grand Junction, CO | $40,870 | same as national |
| 40 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $40,840 | same as national |
| 41 | Richmond, VA | $40,510 | same as national |
| 42 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $40,300 | 1% below national |
| 43 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $40,280 | 1% below national |
| 44 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $39,900 | 2% below national |
| 45 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $39,520 | 3% below national |
| 46 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $38,760 | 5% below national |
| 47 | Bend, OR | $38,730 | 5% below national |
| 48 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $38,410 | 6% below national |
| 49 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $37,650 | 8% below national |
| 50 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $37,580 | 8% below national |
| 51 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $37,500 | 8% below national |
| 52 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $37,440 | 8% below national |
| 53 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $37,100 | 9% below national |
| 54 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $37,090 | 9% below national |
| 55 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $35,860 | 12% below national |
| 56 | Colorado Springs, CO | $35,780 | 12% below national |
| 57 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $35,090 | 14% below national |
| 58 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $34,680 | 15% below national |
| 59 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $34,370 | 16% below national |
| 60 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $34,360 | 16% below national |
| 61 | Charlottesville, VA | $33,340 | 18% below national |
| 62 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $32,360 | 21% below national |
| 63 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $32,280 | 21% below national |
| 64 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $31,430 | 23% below national |
| 65 | Boise City, ID | $31,300 | 23% below national |
| 66 | Springfield, MO | $30,920 | 24% below national |
| 67 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $30,010 | 26% below national |
| 68 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $29,790 | 27% below national |
| 69 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $29,710 | 27% below national |
| 70 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $28,600 | 30% below national |
| 71 | Ogden, UT | $28,180 | 31% below national |
| 72 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $27,850 | 32% below national |
| 73 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $27,710 | 32% below national |
| 74 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $26,540 | 35% below national |
| 75 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $26,400 | 35% below national |
| 76 | Oklahoma City, OK | $21,760 | 47% below national |
| 77 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $16,790 | 59% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 27 (arts design entertainment sports and media) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials make? ▼
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What education do you need to become a Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials? ▼
How dangerous is being a Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials? ▼
Is Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials a good career? ▼
How does Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $57,160/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New Jersey leads at $67,600/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.