Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials (SOC 27-2023) earn a median $40,710 a year in the United States, with 15,780 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Jersey.
What umpires, referees, and other sports officials do
Umpires, referees, and other sports officials oversee competitive athletic or sporting events, spot rule infractions, and decide penalties under established regulations. The occupation includes all sporting officials, referees, and competition judges. They officiate games and competitions to keep standards of play, signal participants or other officials about infractions, settle claims of rule violations or complaints by participants, and assess any penalties needed. They check game sites against regulations and safety requirements, check equipment or examine participants for compliance with event and safety rules, and teach and explain the rules of a particular sport. They also report to regulating organizations on sporting activities, complaints, and actions taken or needed, such as fines or other discipline, and consult other officials, coaches, players, and facility managers. Alternate titles include baseball umpire, basketball referee, and athletic events scorer. The occupation is distinct from coaches and athletes.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Athletic Events Scorer, Baseball Umpire, Basketball Manager, Basketball Referee, Basketball Scorekeeper.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 15,780 |
| Annual | $26,540 | $32,260 | $40,710 | $57,160 | $82,960 | $53,010 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where umpires, referees, and other sports officials earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 420 | 0.10 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $33,890 | $47,930 | $67,600 | $69,330 | $81,090 | $62,870 | ||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 180 | 0.43 | 4.20 |
| Annual | $26,900 | $48,060 | $63,920 | $85,310 | $91,040 | $64,260 | ||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50 | 0.02 | 0.23 |
| Annual | $27,180 | $37,300 | $61,290 | $61,290 | $61,290 | $49,960 | ||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 300 | 0.10 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $30,820 | $39,740 | $57,000 | $63,360 | $91,200 | $59,190 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 580 | 0.10 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $23,560 | $27,160 | $55,040 | $57,750 | $62,150 | $49,030 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,950 | 0.11 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $35,110 | $38,010 | $44,530 | $58,260 | $80,750 | $53,960 | ||||
| Missouri | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,240 | 0.42 | 4.16 |
| Annual | $28,600 | $29,480 | $33,140 | $41,600 | $50,320 | $36,860 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,120 | 0.39 | 3.84 |
| Annual | $32,790 | $36,770 | $44,230 | $53,760 | $68,420 | $47,710 | ||||
| Utah | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,100 | 0.64 | 6.26 |
| Annual | $23,890 | $29,360 | $31,430 | $37,290 | $49,290 | $35,090 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 690 | 0.11 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $35,310 | $49,070 | $82,960 | $86,860 | $57,360 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Green Bay, WI | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.22 | 2.12 |
| Annual | $53,890 | $55,290 | $77,670 | $77,670 | $88,460 | $70,610 | ||||
| Baton Rouge, LA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 120 | 0.31 | 3.00 |
| Annual | $23,040 | $51,700 | $65,230 | $108,460 | $184,520 | $99,980 | ||||
| Bismarck, ND | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.98 | 9.69 |
| Annual | $39,810 | $48,100 | $63,920 | $76,650 | $91,050 | $62,890 | ||||
| Fargo, ND-MN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.26 | 2.53 |
| Annual | $23,040 | $26,000 | $63,190 | $89,980 | $89,980 | $57,730 | ||||
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.10 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $31,610 | $57,000 | $62,400 | $62,410 | $87,280 | $61,140 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 860 | 0.09 | 0.89 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 550 | 0.09 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $35,550 | $38,020 | $51,230 | $64,370 | $77,140 | $54,910 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 540 | 0.12 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $35,530 | $51,600 | $82,970 | $87,220 | $58,540 | ||||
| St. Louis, MO-IL | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 520 | 0.39 | 3.83 |
| Annual | $29,690 | $29,690 | $34,360 | $41,630 | $54,500 | $39,050 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 490 | 0.30 | 3.00 |
| Annual | $34,940 | $36,770 | $42,350 | $53,760 | $58,460 | $46,250 | ||||
Top industries employing umpires, referees, and other sports officials
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 35.9% of umpires, referees, and other sports officials nationally (5,670 jobs) at a median $37,440 a year, followed by Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (18.6%) and Spectator Sports (11.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 5,670 | 35.9% | $37,440 | * |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries NAICS 713900 | 2,930 | 18.6% | $40,510 | * |
| Spectator Sports NAICS 711200 | 1,780 | 11.3% | $56,210 | * |
| Civic and Social Organizations NAICS 813400 | 1,120 | 7.1% | $35,710 | * |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events NAICS 711300 | 980 | 6.2% | $49,930 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (15,780). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $35,860 for umpires, referees, and other sports officials in May 2021 and $40,710 in May 2025, with employment of 9,620 and 15,780.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $35,860 | * | 9,620 |
| May 2022 | $36,010 | * | 12,720 |
| May 2023 | $35,820 | * | 14,840 |
| May 2024 | $38,820 | * | 15,080 |
| May 2025 | $40,710 | * | 15,780 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
39 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey profile | * | $67,600 | $33,890 | $81,090 | 420 | 0.10 | 0.97 |
| 2 | North Dakota profile | * | $63,920 | $26,900 | $91,040 | 180 | 0.43 | 4.20 |
| 3 | South Carolina profile | * | $61,290 | $27,180 | $61,290 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.23 |
| 4 | Wisconsin profile | * | $57,000 | $30,820 | $91,200 | 300 | 0.10 | 1.00 |
| 5 | Ohio profile | * | $55,040 | $23,560 | $62,150 | 580 | 0.10 | 1.03 |
| 6 | Louisiana profile | * | $50,080 | $31,500 | $141,650 | 310 | 0.16 | 1.56 |
| 7 | Illinois profile | * | $49,070 | $31,200 | $86,860 | 690 | 0.11 | 1.11 |
| 8 | Massachusetts profile | * | $48,400 | $32,600 | $126,090 | 250 | 0.07 | 0.68 |
| 9 | West Virginia profile | * | $46,490 | $18,690 | $67,270 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.68 |
| 10 | Arizona profile | * | $46,440 | $31,730 | $69,460 | 210 | 0.06 | 0.62 |
| 11 | Indiana profile | * | $46,140 | $24,690 | $50,810 | 170 | 0.05 | 0.52 |
| 12 | Vermont profile | * | $46,080 | $35,650 | $61,580 | 80 | 0.25 | 2.44 |
| 13 | California profile | * | $44,530 | $35,110 | $80,750 | 1,950 | 0.11 | 1.06 |
| 14 | Colorado profile | * | $44,230 | $32,790 | $68,420 | 1,120 | 0.39 | 3.84 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $44,200 | $20,800 | $107,360 | 320 | 0.05 | 0.51 |
| 16 | Iowa profile | * | $43,040 | $27,860 | $104,000 | 190 | 0.13 | 1.23 |
| 17 | Texas profile | * | $42,920 | $23,670 | $55,990 | 650 | 0.05 | 0.45 |
| 18 | Washington profile | * | $41,350 | $34,650 | $62,430 | 400 | 0.11 | 1.12 |
| 19 | Virginia profile | * | $40,840 | $33,020 | $88,460 | 260 | 0.06 | 0.63 |
| 20 | Connecticut profile | * | $39,530 | $34,010 | $116,650 | 200 | 0.12 | 1.15 |
| 21 | Oregon profile | * | $38,730 | $30,280 | $54,920 | 170 | 0.09 | 0.84 |
| 22 | Florida profile | * | $37,070 | $27,970 | $61,380 | 280 | 0.03 | 0.28 |
| 23 | Montana profile | * | $36,370 | $30,190 | $57,600 | 60 | 0.12 | 1.18 |
| 24 | South Dakota profile | * | $35,260 | $29,840 | $63,060 | 80 | 0.18 | 1.80 |
| 25 | Michigan profile | * | $34,560 | $25,960 | $60,660 | 340 | 0.08 | 0.76 |
| 26 | Missouri profile | * | $33,140 | $28,600 | $50,320 | 1,240 | 0.42 | 4.16 |
| 27 | Idaho profile | * | $32,250 | $25,490 | $50,090 | 170 | 0.20 | 1.93 |
| 28 | Utah profile | * | $31,430 | $23,890 | $49,290 | 1,100 | 0.64 | 6.26 |
| 29 | Nebraska profile | * | $31,390 | $28,080 | $49,040 | 40 | 0.04 | 0.36 |
| 30 | Georgia profile | * | $28,360 | $19,780 | $70,550 | 280 | 0.06 | 0.57 |
| 31 | Mississippi profile | * | $27,060 | $27,060 | $36,250 | 60 | 0.06 | 0.55 |
| 32 | North Carolina profile | * | $26,540 | $17,680 | $67,010 | 400 | 0.08 | 0.80 |
| 33 | Kansas profile | * | $25,780 | $25,780 | $55,470 | ** | ** | ** |
| 34 | Oklahoma profile | * | $21,900 | $21,740 | $43,310 | 220 | 0.13 | 1.25 |
| – | Kentucky profile | * | * | * | * | 290 | 0.15 | 1.45 |
| – | Maine profile | * | * | * | * | 180 | 0.28 | 2.72 |
| – | Minnesota profile | * | * | * | * | 320 | 0.11 | 1.08 |
| – | New York profile | * | * | * | * | 630 | 0.07 | 0.64 |
| – | Tennessee profile | * | * | * | * | 380 | 0.12 | 1.13 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (27-2020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 27-2023 Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them. A withheld or top-coded cell in that table shows the marker explained above.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 27-2023, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 27-2023.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.