Umpires, Referees and Other Sports Officials: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

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Umpires and Referees

Umpires and Referees 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.

Salary
$40140
Becoming One
Medium
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality



Job description

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.

  • Officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed.
  • Signal participants or other officials to make them aware of infractions or to otherwise regulate play or competition.
  • Inspect sporting equipment or examine participants to ensure compliance with event and safety regulations.
  • Keep track of event times, including race times and elapsed time during game segments, starting or stopping play when necessary.
Read more about what does an Umpire, Referees and Other Sports Official really do at work and what is it like being and working as one.



Salary

Average salary
$36440 per year


Umpires and Referees with little to no experience tend to make between $18220 and $21220 while the more experienced ones can earn over $41880 per year.

Top 5 paying states Hourly Annual
MA $- $47,300
KY $- $46,930
AZ $- $42,170
MN $- $40,660
WV $- $40,450

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as an Umpire, Referees and Other Sports Official is to move to a higher paying state like MA. Right now, the highest paying states for Umpires and Referees are MA, KY, AZ, MN and WV.

However, a higher pay at MA doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at MA might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as an Umpire, Referees and Other Sports Official is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.


Requirements

Recommended degree level
No degree required

We asked other Umpires and Referees what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a High School Diploma followed by less than a High School Diploma.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

NA
Read more about how to become an Umpire, Referees and Other Sports Official and the degree, training and education you need.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being an Umpire, Referees and Other Sports Official.

PROS
Suitable for people who likes practical and hands-on work
Suitable for people who values achievements and are results-oriented
This career is perfect for people who love to work outdoors.
It is not too difficult to get into this career. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
CONS
Not suitable for people who likes to work with designs
One of the lowest paying jobs

What is the job like

Job satisfaction
68%

Is this job meaningful
49%


68% of Umpires and Referees said they were satisfied with their job and 49% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.


Is this right for me

Best personality for this career
The Builders and The Entrepreneurs

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.



Learn more about Umpires and Referees

Summary (You are here)
Job Description
Salary
Requirements
Quiz

Related career information

Umpires and Referees job description, Umpires and Referees salary, Umpires and Referees information, what is the job of an Umpire, Referees and Other Sports Official like, pros and cons about Umpires, Referees and Other Sports Officials, colleges and universities for Umpires, Referees and Other Sports Officials, is Umpires, Referees and Other Sports Officials the right career for me, careers in Art, Entertainment and Sports

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