Work Environment

Umpires, referees, and other sports officials held about 20,200 jobs in 2020. The largest employers of umpires, referees, and other sports officials were as follows:

• Self-employed workers - 16%
• Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries - 13%
• Performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries - 11%
• Educational services; state, local, and private - 9%
• Civic and social organizations - 5%

Umpires, referees, and other sports officials work indoors and outdoors. Those working outdoors will be exposed to all types of weather conditions. Some officials travel by  bus to sporting events. Others, especially officials in professional sports, may travel by air.

Some sports require officials to stand, squat, walk, or run for extended periods.

Regardless of the sport, the job is stressful because officials often must make split-second rulings. These rulings may result in strong disagreement from coaches, players, and spectators.

Work Schedules

Seasonal work is common for umpires, referees, and other sports officials. Schedules may vary, and they often work irregular hours that include evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Many umpires, referees, and other sports officials are employed primarily in other occupations and supplement their income by officiating part time.

Job Outlook

Employment of umpires, referees, and other sports officials is projected to grow 29 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 3,800 openings for umpires, referees, and other sports officials are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Much of the projected employment growth in this occupation is due to recovery from the COVID-19 recession that began in 2020 and is likely to occur early in the decade as organized sports resume activities.

At the high school level, student enrollments are projected to increase over the next decade, which could result in a rise in the number of student athletes. As schools offer more athletic programs and as more students participate in sports, the demand for umpires, referees, and other sports officials may increase.

However, funding for high school athletic programs may be cut when budgets become tight. Still, the popularity of interscholastic sports sometimes enables shortfalls to be offset with assistance from fundraisers, booster clubs, and parents.

Participation in college sports also is projected to increase over the decade, particularly at smaller colleges and in women’s sports. Many small, Division III colleges are expanding their sports programs and adding teams to help promote the school and recruit students.

Earnings

The median annual wage for umpires, referees, and other sports officials was $35,860 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $19,170, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $81,620.

In May 2021, the median annual wages for umpires, referees, and other sports officials in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

• Performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries - $46,900
• Educational services; state, local, and private - $30,510
• Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries - $30,500
• Civic and social organizations - $23,380

Most umpires, referees, and other sports officials are paid on a per-game basis. Pay typically rises as the level of competition increases.

Seasonal work is common for umpires, referees, and other sports officials. Schedules may vary and often include evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Many umpires, referees, and other sports officials are employed primarily in other occupations and supplement their income by officiating part time.