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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

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)
14,840 4.1 % (4) $ 44,860 4.1 %

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

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Annual Wage (2) $ 22,950 $ 29,140 $ 35,820 $ 47,690 $ 63,410
  (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) 4,530 0.08 (4) $ 37,670
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 3,280 0.24 (4) $ 41,090
Spectator Sports 2,190 1.46 (4) $ 45,700
Civic and Social Organizations 1,080 0.33 (4) $ 31,870
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 890 0.54 (4) $ 52,570

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 2,190 1.46 (4) $ 45,700
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 890 0.54 (4) $ 52,570
Civic and Social Organizations 1,080 0.33 (4) $ 31,870
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 3,280 0.24 (4) $ 41,090
Gambling Industries 380 0.18 (4) $ 40,650

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

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 890 0.54 (4) $ 52,570
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 660 0.02 (4) $ 49,830
Elementary and Secondary Schools 470 0.01 (4) $ 48,640
Spectator Sports 2,190 1.46 (4) $ 45,700
Other Schools and Instruction 180 0.04 (4) $ 44,540


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 2023


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)
California 2,510 0.14 1.43 (4) $ 41,230
Missouri 1,020 0.35 3.62 (4) $ 45,950
Utah 900 0.54 5.49 (4) $ 28,330
Illinois 700 0.12 1.19 (4) $ 37,300
Colorado 700 0.25 2.53 (4) $ 42,010


Map of location quotient of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by state, May 2023


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 300 0.72 7.34 (8) (8)
Utah 900 0.54 5.49 (4) $ 28,330
Alaska 130 0.41 4.22 (4) $ 41,130
Montana 180 0.36 3.70 (4) $ 36,440
Missouri 1,020 0.35 3.62 (4) $ 45,950


Map of annual mean wages of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by state, May 2023


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)
Louisiana 300 0.16 1.68 (4) $ 66,910
Massachusetts (8) (8) (8) (4) $ 60,100
Connecticut 50 0.03 0.32 (4) $ 55,420
Wisconsin 360 0.12 1.27 (4) $ 54,610
Minnesota 280 0.10 0.99 (4) $ 54,230



Map of employment of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by area, May 2023


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 860 0.09 0.93 (8) (8)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 830 0.13 1.37 (4) $ 39,390
St. Louis, MO-IL 550 0.42 4.25 (4) $ 49,000
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 480 0.20 2.01 (4) $ 48,260
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 470 0.10 1.06 (4) $ 36,970
Salt Lake City, UT 400 0.49 5.05 (4) $ 30,590
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 340 0.21 2.17 (4) $ 40,430
Provo-Orem, UT 270 0.93 9.48 (4) $ 24,270
Kansas City, MO-KS 240 0.23 2.32 (4) $ 45,530
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 230 0.12 1.24 (4) $ 54,800


Map of location quotient of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by area, May 2023


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)
Lawrence, KS 190 3.76 38.46 (4) $ 34,090
Bismarck, ND 110 1.49 15.29 (4) $ 56,140
Provo-Orem, UT 270 0.93 9.48 (4) $ 24,270
Racine, WI 60 0.86 8.76 (4) $ 43,430
Ann Arbor, MI 180 0.84 8.60 (4) $ 32,090
Bend-Redmond, OR 70 0.74 7.61 (4) $ 39,380
Billings, MT 50 0.55 5.65 (4) $ 35,580
Coeur d'Alene, ID 40 0.55 5.62 (4) $ 23,320
Greeley, CO 60 0.50 5.11 (4) $ 44,210
Salt Lake City, UT 400 0.49 5.05 (4) $ 30,590


Map of annual mean wages of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by area, May 2023


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)
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (8) (8) (8) (4) $ 61,420
Bismarck, ND 110 1.49 15.29 (4) $ 56,140
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 50 0.11 1.10 (4) $ 55,540
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 230 0.12 1.24 (4) $ 54,800
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 160 0.06 0.60 (4) $ 54,440
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 50 0.11 1.09 (4) $ 54,280
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (8) (8) (8) (4) $ 53,650
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 50 0.18 1.86 (4) $ 52,940
Madison, WI 80 0.20 2.08 (4) $ 52,720
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 50 0.06 0.60 (4) $ 51,620

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)
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 120 1.03 10.59 (8) (8)
Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area 90 0.58 5.90 (4) $ 32,630
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 80 0.80 8.23 (4) $ 40,340
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 60 0.49 5.04 (4) $ 56,720
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 60 0.23 2.35 (4) $ 24,670

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)
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 120 1.03 10.59 (8) (8)
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 80 0.80 8.23 (4) $ 40,340
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 60 0.63 6.47 (4) $ 31,590
Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area 90 0.58 5.90 (4) $ 32,630
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 60 0.49 5.04 (4) $ 56,720

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)
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 60 0.49 5.04 (4) $ 56,720
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 40 0.36 3.64 (4) $ 51,660
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.29 3.01 (4) $ 40,540
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 80 0.80 8.23 (4) $ 40,340
Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area 90 0.58 5.90 (4) $ 32,630


About May 2023 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.

(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 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024