Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials

Umpires, referees, and other sports officials preside over competitive athletic or sporting events to help maintain standards of play. They detect infractions and decide penalties according to the rules of the game.

Duties

Umpires, referees, and other sports officials typically do the following:

• Officiate sporting competitions
• Judge performances in sporting competitions to determine a winner
• Inspect sports equipment and observe all participants to ensure safety
• Keep track of event times, starting or stopping play when necessary
• Signal participants and other officials when infractions occur or to regulate play or competition
• Settle claims of infractions or complaints by participants
• Enforce the rules of the game and assess penalties when necessary

While officiating at sporting competitions, umpires, referees, and other sports officials must anticipate play and position themselves where they can best see the action, assess the situation, and identify any violations of the rules.

Sports officials typically rely on their judgment to make split-second rulings on infractions and penalties. Officials in some sports may use video replay to help make the correct call.

Some sports officials, such as boxing referees, may work independently. Others, such as baseball or softball umpires, work in groups. Each official working in a group may have different responsibilities. For example, in baseball, one umpire is responsible for signaling balls and strikes while others are responsible for signaling fair and foul balls out in the field.

Umpires, referees, and other sports officials held about 19,300 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of umpires, referees, and other sports officials were as follows:

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.

Requirements for umpires, referees, and other sports officials typically vary by state and local sports association. Although some positions have no formal education requirements, others may require a high school diploma.

The median annual wage for umpires, referees, and other sports officials was $38,820 in May 2024.

Employment of umpires, referees, and other sports officials is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 4,600 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.