Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Salary in California
Umpires, referees, and other sports officials in California earned a median of $44,530 a year and a mean of $53,960 in May 2025. The median is 9.4% above the U.S. median of $40,710, ranking 13th of 34 states, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $44,530
- Median hourly
- not published
- Mean annual
- $53,960
- Jobs on record
- 1,950
Grey needle: U.S. median, $40,710 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
How does California compare on pay for umpires, referees, and other sports officials?
California ranks 13th of 34 states. New Jersey is highest at $67,600, $23,070 more than the California median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 11 | $46,140 | +13% | 170 |
| Vermont | 12 | $46,080 | +13% | 80 |
| California | 13 | $44,530 | +9% | 1,950 |
| Colorado | 14 | $44,230 | +9% | 1,120 |
| Pennsylvania | 15 | $44,200 | +9% | 320 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 34 states with a published figure. See every state.
Does California pay go further after prices?
Prices in California run 10.7% above the U.S. average, so the $44,530 median buys about what $40,219 buys at average U.S. prices, below the $40,710 U.S. median. On this measure California ranks 18th of 34, down from 13th before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in California pay umpires, referees, and other sports officials the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is highest at $56,330, 26.5% above the California median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $56,330 | 310 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $51,230 | 550 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $44,200 | 110 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $41,600 | 110 |
| Salinas, CA | $40,880 | 50 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $38,760 | 110 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $37,580 | 60 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $35,090 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in California is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many umpires, referees, and other sports officials work in California?
BLS counts 1,950 jobs in California, 12.4% of the 15,780 in the U.S. That is the largest count among the 33 states with a published figure. That is 0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in California, a location quotient of 1.06: the occupation's share of local jobs is 1.06 times its national share, so it is more concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
Related jobs in California
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.