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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

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)
12,720 4.5 % (4) $ 49,030 11.1 %

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

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Annual Wage (2) $ 22,090 $ 28,080 $ 36,010 $ 48,610 $ 69,010
  (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) 3,760 0.07 (4) $ 37,370
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 2,900 0.23 (4) $ 35,320
Spectator Sports 1,780 1.34 (4) $ 47,390
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 1,190 0.86 (4) $ 59,850
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 550 0.02 (4) $ 34,950

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 1,780 1.34 (4) $ 47,390
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 1,190 0.86 (4) $ 59,850
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 2,900 0.23 (4) $ 35,320
Gambling Industries 380 0.19 (4) $ 49,120
Civic and Social Organizations 500 0.16 (4) $ 32,360

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) 140 0.01 (4) $ 66,490
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 1,190 0.86 (4) $ 59,850
Elementary and Secondary Schools 370 (7) (4) $ 53,500
Gambling Industries 380 0.19 (4) $ 49,120
Junior Colleges 50 0.01 (4) $ 48,140


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 2022


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 2,390 0.14 1.58 (4) $ 38,960
New York 940 0.10 1.19 (8) (8)
Illinois 820 0.14 1.62 (4) $ 45,520
Colorado 700 0.25 2.94 (4) $ 39,660
Pennsylvania 670 0.12 1.35 (4) $ 39,990


Map of location quotient of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by state, May 2022


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)
Alaska 170 0.55 6.41 (4) $ 42,430
Utah 600 0.37 4.31 (4) $ 26,190
Kansas 460 0.33 3.85 (4) $ 33,320
North Dakota 130 0.33 3.82 (4) $ 45,620
Colorado 700 0.25 2.94 (4) $ 39,660


Map of annual mean wages of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by state, May 2022


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)
Minnesota 90 0.03 0.37 (4) $ 62,760
Wisconsin 320 0.11 1.31 (4) $ 60,850
Massachusetts 160 0.04 0.51 (4) $ 55,040
Kentucky 40 0.02 0.22 (4) $ 54,890
Missouri 660 0.23 2.70 (4) $ 53,480



Map of employment of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by area, May 2022


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 1,150 0.13 1.45 (8) (8)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 940 0.15 1.79 (4) $ 39,630
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 570 0.13 1.51 (4) $ 46,110
St. Louis, MO-IL 360 0.28 3.24 (4) $ 61,230
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 340 0.14 1.65 (4) $ 41,960
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 330 0.21 2.50 (4) $ 37,720
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 330 0.12 1.39 (4) $ 42,280
Provo-Orem, UT 280 0.97 11.24 (4) $ 22,900
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 240 0.16 1.87 (4) $ 35,940
Lawrence, KS 180 3.61 41.92 (4) $ 32,740


Map of location quotient of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by area, May 2022


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 180 3.61 41.92 (4) $ 32,740
Bismarck, ND 80 1.16 13.48 (4) $ 46,710
Provo-Orem, UT 280 0.97 11.24 (4) $ 22,900
Greeley, CO 60 0.57 6.59 (4) $ 39,550
Champaign-Urbana, IL 50 0.47 5.48 (4) $ 49,560
Salinas, CA 80 0.43 4.96 (4) $ 39,110
Ogden-Clearfield, UT 100 0.37 4.25 (4) $ 25,640
Sioux Falls, SD 60 0.36 4.18 (4) $ 37,800
Erie, PA 40 0.30 3.51 (4) $ 38,940
St. Louis, MO-IL 360 0.28 3.24 (4) $ 61,230


Map of annual mean wages of umpires, referees, and other sports officials by area, May 2022


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)
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 70 0.04 0.43 (4) $ 63,960
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 90 0.03 0.36 (4) $ 61,290
St. Louis, MO-IL 360 0.28 3.24 (4) $ 61,230
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 70 0.02 0.22 (4) $ 60,470
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 140 0.05 0.61 (4) $ 52,890
Madison, WI 60 0.16 1.84 (4) $ 52,480
Kansas City, MO-KS 150 0.14 1.65 (4) $ 51,070
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 40 0.08 0.98 (4) $ 49,940
Champaign-Urbana, IL 50 0.47 5.48 (4) $ 49,560
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 80 0.14 1.66 (4) $ 48,430

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 140 0.37 4.30 (4) $ 30,690
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 100 0.98 11.35 (4) $ 41,180
Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area 90 0.55 6.34 (8) (8)
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 70 0.77 8.96 (4) $ 31,260
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 60 0.47 5.49 (4) $ 47,280

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 100 0.98 11.35 (4) $ 41,180
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 70 0.77 8.96 (4) $ 31,260
Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area 90 0.55 6.34 (8) (8)
Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area 30 0.53 6.18 (4) $ 29,250
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 60 0.47 5.49 (4) $ 47,280

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 0.47 5.49 (4) $ 47,280
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 100 0.98 11.35 (4) $ 41,180
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.32 3.77 (4) $ 37,240
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 70 0.77 8.96 (4) $ 31,260
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 140 0.37 4.30 (4) $ 30,690


About May 2022 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 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023