Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Salary: $66,530 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 15,080 umpires, referees, and other sports officials nationally earn a mean of $66,530. Employment in the series shown rose about 13% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 10.5% annual growth.
Key Statistics
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials: what the data shows
Common questions about umpires, referees, and other sports officials careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a umpires, referees, and other sports officials?
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 27-2023.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 15,080 workers.
What does a umpires, referees, and other sports officials do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Getting Information, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a umpires, referees, and other sports officials make?
BLS national median annual wage: $38,820 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $66,530 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,328 |
| 25th percentile | $36,300 |
| Median (50th) | $45,802 |
| 75th percentile | $106,888 |
| 90th percentile | $132,146 |
What education do you need?
For Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Speaking, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Active Listening, Monitoring, Active Learning, and knowledge areas including English Language, Education and Training, Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is umpires, referees, and other sports officials in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 10.5% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 64.7%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 171.4%.
Current U.S. headcount: 15,080.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do umpires, referees, and other sports officialss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 15,080 | 18.7% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 9,040 | 11.2% |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 6,440 | 8.0% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 6,030 | 7.5% |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | 5,380 | 6.7% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 5,190 | 6.4% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 11,430 | $84,290 |
| Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners | 7,600 | $30,460 |
| Athletes and Sports Competitors | 14,370 | $62,360 |
| Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 12,680 | $75,890 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 75,710 | $155,020 |
| Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | 12,460 | $65,480 |
| Home Health Aides | — | — |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials workforce.
Employment Over Time
15,080 Workforce in 2023
The Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$66,530 Average Wage
In 2023, Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials earned an average of $66,530.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Salary distribution for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Employment Growth Projections
10.5% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
17,659 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 64.7%
29,092 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 171.4%
This occupation is projected to grow at 10.5% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Wage Trends by Industry
99.9% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 2,830 employees, $64,770 avg wage
- UT: 960 employees, $31,720 avg wage
- CO: 910 employees, $45,600 avg wage
- IL: 820 employees, $53,940 avg wage
- NY: 710 employees, N/A avg wage
- MO: 690 employees, $40,420 avg wage
- TX: 650 employees, $42,180 avg wage
- KS: 620 employees, $34,680 avg wage
- FL: 540 employees, $41,700 avg wage
- OH: 500 employees, $35,640 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 850 employees, N/A avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 800 employees, $68,300 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 580 employees, $56,990 avg wage
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 480 employees, $75,290 avg wage
- Salt Lake City-Murray, UT: 400 employees, $31,310 avg wage
- Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT: 350 employees, $30,810 avg wage
- Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: 350 employees, $42,690 avg wage
- St. Louis, MO-IL: 340 employees, $42,710 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 280 employees, $44,430 avg wage
- Kansas City, MO-KS: 270 employees, $41,500 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Diversity
Demographic information on Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials in 2023 was 15,080 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials workers.
Education level distribution for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Skills
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Active Listening, Monitoring.
Required skills for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials include English Language, Education and Training, Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service, Psychology.
Knowledge areas required for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials include Far Vision, Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension, Near Vision, Problem Sensitivity.
Required abilities for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
Daily Activities
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials spend their time on activities such as Getting Information, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.
Most important work activities for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials.
About
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
The average yearly wage for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials was $66,530 in 2023.
SOC Code
27-2023 - Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials reports an average salary of $66,530.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 15,080 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 10.5%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.