CAREER
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$28,940
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+8% (as fast as the average)
Most Common Level of Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Career
What Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Do
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.
Other Job Titles Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials May Have
Basketball Referee, Diving Judge, Dressage Judge, Football Referee, Horse Show Judge, Major League Baseball Umpire (MLB Umpire), Referee, Soccer Referee, Softball Umpire, Sports Official
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed.
- Inspect game sites for compliance with regulations or safety requirements.
- Resolve claims of rule infractions or complaints by participants and assess any necessary penalties, according to regulations.
- Signal participants or other officials to make them aware of infractions or to otherwise regulate play or competition.
- Teach and explain the rules and regulations governing a specific sport.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Bachelor's degree (33%)
Some college, no degree
30%
Bachelor's degree
33%
Master's degree
14%
Other*
24%
*All other responses combined for clarity.
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
