Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials earn a median of $40,710 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 5.2% through 2035, with about 4,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 27-2023
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Referee in four numbers
- Median pay
- $40,710a yearBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $27KTop 10% $83K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.2%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 4,30018,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202518.2K
- Projected 203519.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 18.2K Projected 2035 19.2K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school23.8%
- High school42.9%
- Certificate9.5%
- Associate's4.8%
- Bachelor's14.3%
- Doctorate4.8%
Highest education held by umpires, referees, and other sports officials Segment Value Less than high school 23.8% High school 42.9% Certificate 9.5% Associate's 4.8% Bachelor's 14.3% Doctorate 4.8%
Also advertised as: Basketball Referee, Diving Judge, Dressage Judge, Football Referee, Horse Show Judge, Major League Baseball Umpire (MLB Umpire).
Pay
How much do Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials make?
Every referee in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$40,710
Middle half earn $32,260 to $57,160
- 10th
- $26,540
- 25th
- $32,260
- 75th
- $57,160
- 90th
- $82,960
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $26,540 |
| 25th | $32,260 |
| Median | $40,710 |
| 75th | $57,160 |
| 90th | $82,960 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $40,710
- Median hourly wage
- N/A
- Mean annual wage
- $53,010
- People employed
- 15,780
Versus all US occupations
At $40,710, Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials earn 20% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $10,270 a year.
Versus arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Inside the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group, where the middle occupation pays $68,060, this is 40% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $82,960 or more while the bottom 10% earn $26,540, a gap of 3.1×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 8% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
New Jersey posts the highest raw median ($67,600), but once local prices are taken into account North Dakota leads at $71,853 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Jersey | $67,600 | $62,129 | 420 |
| 2North Dakota | $63,920 | $71,853 | 180 |
| 3South Carolina | $61,290 | $65,377 | 50 |
| 4Wisconsin | $57,000 | $60,577 | 300 |
| 5Ohio | $55,040 | $59,327 | 580 |
| 6Louisiana | $50,080 | $56,776 | 310 |
| 7Illinois | $49,070 | $49,091 | 690 |
| 8Massachusetts | $48,400 | $45,765 | 250 |
| 9West Virginia | $46,490 | $51,946 | 50 |
| 10Arizona | $46,440 | $46,128 | 210 |
Job outlook
Is Referee a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials | +5.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials to change 5.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 4,300 openings are projected each year, 23.6% of the 18,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
The demand for umpires, referees, and other sports officials is projected to increase with a growing interest in college sports, professional sports, and sports recreation and with more athletes participating in sports. While funding for school athletic programs may be cut when budgets become tight, the popularity of interscholastic sports sometimes enables shortfalls to be offset with assistance from fundraisers, booster clubs, and parents.
Getting in
How to become a Referee
Requirements for umpires, referees, and other sports officials typically vary by state and local sports association. Although some positions have no formal education requirements, others may require a high school diploma. Officiating sports requires extensive knowledge of the rules of the game.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as umpires, referees, and other sports officials.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)42.9%
- Less than a High School Diploma23.8%
- Bachelor's Degree14.3%
- Post-Secondary Certificate9.5%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree4.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 42.9% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 23.8% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 14.3% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 9.5% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 4.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Referee do?
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.
Umpires, referees, and other sports officials preside over competitive athletic or sporting events to help maintain standards of play. They detect infractions and decide penalties according to the rules of the game.
Day-to-day tasks
- Officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed.
- Confer with other sporting officials, coaches, players, and facility managers to provide information, coordinate activities, and discuss problems.
- Teach and explain the rules and regulations governing a specific sport.
- Signal participants or other officials to make them aware of infractions or to otherwise regulate play or competition.
- Inspect game sites for compliance with regulations or safety requirements.
- 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.
- Resolve claims of rule infractions or complaints by participants and assess any necessary penalties, according to regulations.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Seasonal work is common for umpires, referees, and other sports officials. Schedules may vary, and they often work irregular hours that include evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Many umpires, referees, and other sports officials are employed primarily in other occupations and supplement their income by officiating part time.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where umpires, referees, and other sports officials work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Local government, excluding education and hospitals32%
- Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries19%
- Performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries17%
- Self-employed workers10%
- Educational services; state, local, and private8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 32% |
| Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries | 19% |
| Performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries | 17% |
| Self-employed workers | 10% |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 8% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking3.6
- Critical Thinking3.4
- Active Listening3.3
- Monitoring3.1
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Active Learning3.0
- Learning Strategies3.0
- Writing2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.4 |
| Active Listening | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
| Writing | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Instructing2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Persuasion2.8
- Negotiation2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
| Persuasion | 2.8 |
| Negotiation | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Internet browser software
- Video creation and editing software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Referee?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Referee |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising5.8
- Conventional4.5
- Realistic4.3
- Social3.4
- Investigative1.6
- Artistic1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
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More arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media careers
Median annual pay, with umpires, referees, and other sports officials highlighted
- Art Director$114,850
- Technical Writer$90,390
- Editor$77,920
- Writer and Author$76,910
- Public Relations Specialist$74,750
- Interior Designer$67,190
- Graphic Designer$62,960
- Photographer$44,660
- Referee$40,710
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Art Director | $114,850 |
| Technical Writer | $90,390 |
| Editor | $77,920 |
| Writer and Author | $76,910 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $74,750 |
| Interior Designer | $67,190 |
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 |
| Photographer | $44,660 |
| Referee | $40,710 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Referee appears on
Questions
Referee: frequently asked questions
How much do Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials make?
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials earn a median of $40,710 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 20% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. The middle half earn between $32,260 and $57,160. The top 10% earn $82,960 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Referee?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 42.9% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Referee a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.2% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 4,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Referee do?
Umpires, referees, and other sports officials preside over competitive athletic or sporting events to help maintain standards of play. A core O*NET task: officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed. Employers most often ask for Document management software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials the most?
The highest state medians for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials are New Jersey ($67,600), North Dakota ($63,920), South Carolina ($61,290) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, North Dakota moves to the top at $71,853.
What personality type suits a Referee?
O*NET scores Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.