Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
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.
Also called: Basketball Referee · Diving Judge · Dressage Judge · Football Referee · Horse Show Judge · Major League Baseball Umpire (MLB Umpire)
Median pay (national)
$38,820
$25,070–$93,180 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
15,080
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+5.7%
~4,600 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for umpires, referees, and other sports officials shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $93,180 versus $25,070 at the bottom 10% — 3.7x. The median of $38,820 leaves roughly 140% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +5.7% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 4,600 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 40 states with released data, Massachusetts pays the most for this role (median $83,570, +115% vs the national median), while Tennessee sits lowest at $23,080 — a 262% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Speaking, Critical Thinking, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Confer with other sporting officials, coaches, players, and facility managers to provide information, coordinate activities, and discuss problems.
- Judge performances in sporting competitions to award points, impose scoring penalties, and determine results.
- Verify scoring calculations before competition winners are announced.
Tools & technology
- Database software
- Video editing software
- Web browser software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Email software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Psychology
- Communications and Media
- Mathematics
- Computers and Electronics