# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/umpires-referees-and-other-sports-officials
- SOC code: 27-2023.00
- Career family: Arts, design and media
- Median annual pay: $40,710 (10th percentile $26,540, 90th percentile $82,960)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +5.2%
- Openings a year: 4,300
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 55 |
| Investigative (I) | 10 |
| Artistic (A) | 2 |
| Social (S) | 41 |
| Enterprising (E) | 80 |
| Conventional (C) | 59 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 76/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 75/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 72/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 71/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 71/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 66/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 66/100)
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (importance 62/100)
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People (importance 61/100)
- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 60/100)

## Skills

Speaking, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination, Learning Strategies, Reading Comprehension

## Knowledge

English Language, Education and Training, Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service, Psychology, Communications and Media, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics, Transportation, Administrative

## Also called

Athletic Events Scorer, Baseball Coach, Baseball Umpire, Basketball Manager, Basketball Referee, Basketball Scorekeeper, Clerk of Scales, Clocker, Dance Critic, Diving Judge

## Related careers

- [Coaches and Scouts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/coaches-and-scouts): $47,320 median pay
- [Athletes and Sports Competitors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/athletes-and-sports-competitors): $66,710 median pay
- [Amusement and Recreation Attendants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/amusement-and-recreation-attendants): $32,150 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-entertainment-and-recreation-workers-except-gambling-services): $48,560 median pay
- [Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/exercise-trainers-and-group-fitness-instructors): $47,160 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-police-and-detectives): $106,040 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.