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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

27-2023 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.


National estimates for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Industry profile for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Geographic profile for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials

National estimates for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Mean wage
RSE (3)
9,620 8.0 % (4) $ 51,710 16.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Annual Wage (2) $ 19,170 $ 24,350 $ 35,860 $ 48,430 $ 81,620
  (4)

Industry profile for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 3,210 0.06 (4) $ 35,180
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 1,620 0.15 (4) $ 36,140
Spectator Sports 1,120 0.98 (4) $ 54,460
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 660 0.85 (4) $ 53,110
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 570 0.02 (4) $ 35,760

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Spectator Sports 1,120 0.98 (4) $ 54,460
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 660 0.85 (4) $ 53,110
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 1,620 0.15 (4) $ 36,140
Civic and Social Organizations 320 0.12 (4) $ 28,760
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 3,210 0.06 (4) $ 35,180

Top paying industries for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 200 0.01 (4) $ 116,610
Spectator Sports 1,120 0.98 (4) $ 54,460
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 660 0.85 (4) $ 53,110
Elementary and Secondary Schools 250 (7) (4) $ 47,940
Gambling Industries (8) (8) (4) $ 41,300


Geographic profile for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 1,020 0.12 1.73 (8) (8)
Florida 560 0.06 0.95 (4) $ 77,030
Colorado 530 0.20 2.94 (4) $ 33,760
Michigan 520 0.13 1.86 (4) $ 31,410
Missouri 480 0.17 2.56 (4) $ 49,380


Map of location quotient of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Dakota 220 0.56 8.26 (4) $ 41,370
Kansas 410 0.30 4.44 (4) $ 38,030
Utah 470 0.30 4.40 (4) $ 23,670
Colorado 530 0.20 2.94 (4) $ 33,760
Louisiana 340 0.19 2.81 (4) $ 39,810


Map of annual mean wages of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Florida 560 0.06 0.95 (4) $ 77,030
Wisconsin 240 0.09 1.30 (4) $ 55,220
Maryland 100 0.04 0.58 (4) $ 54,790
New Hampshire 60 0.09 1.28 (4) $ 53,550
Massachusetts 200 0.06 0.87 (4) $ 53,230



Map of employment of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 1,190 0.14 2.00 (8) (8)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 300 0.07 1.05 (4) $ 53,150
Kansas City, MO-KS 280 0.28 4.07 (4) $ 44,320
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 230 0.16 2.28 (4) $ 35,800
St. Louis, MO-IL 200 0.16 2.28 (8) (8)
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 190 0.15 2.17 (4) $ 73,600
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 180 0.07 1.01 (4) $ 53,580
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 160 0.09 1.34 (4) $ 30,960
Ann Arbor, MI 160 0.78 11.40 (4) $ 24,430
Provo-Orem, UT 150 0.53 7.82 (4) $ 19,220


Map of location quotient of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bismarck, ND 90 1.33 19.43 (4) $ 43,630
Greeley, CO 90 0.86 12.59 (4) $ 34,040
Ann Arbor, MI 160 0.78 11.40 (4) $ 24,430
Fargo, ND-MN 90 0.68 9.99 (4) $ 47,130
St. George, UT 50 0.63 9.18 (4) $ 28,910
Provo-Orem, UT 150 0.53 7.82 (4) $ 19,220
Lake Charles, LA 40 0.42 6.13 (8) (8)
Ogden-Clearfield, UT 90 0.35 5.09 (4) $ 23,160
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 120 0.32 4.74 (4) $ 21,340
Roanoke, VA 50 0.32 4.71 (4) $ 30,660


Map of annual mean wages of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 190 0.15 2.17 (4) $ 73,600
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 70 0.04 0.55 (4) $ 63,500
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 140 0.06 0.83 (4) $ 62,260
Cleveland-Elyria, OH 40 0.04 0.58 (4) $ 56,340
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 50 0.04 0.57 (4) $ 55,860
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 90 0.04 0.64 (4) $ 55,330
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 180 0.07 1.01 (4) $ 53,580
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 300 0.07 1.05 (4) $ 53,150
Madison, WI 80 0.20 2.93 (4) $ 52,700
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN 50 0.05 0.71 (4) $ 49,760

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 90 0.23 3.43 (4) $ 40,490
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area 40 0.40 5.86 (4) $ 25,450
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 40 0.42 6.12 (4) $ 35,670
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 40 0.33 4.89 (4) $ 30,850
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.32 4.72 (4) $ 35,280

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 40 0.42 6.12 (4) $ 35,670
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area 40 0.40 5.86 (4) $ 25,450
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 40 0.33 4.89 (4) $ 30,850
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.32 4.72 (4) $ 35,280
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 90 0.23 3.43 (4) $ 40,490

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 90 0.23 3.43 (4) $ 40,490
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 40 0.42 6.12 (4) $ 35,670
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.32 4.72 (4) $ 35,280
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 40 0.33 4.89 (4) $ 30,850
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area 40 0.40 5.86 (4) $ 25,450


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(4) Wages for some occupations that do not generally work year-round, full time, are reported either as hourly wages or annual salaries depending on how they are typically paid.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022