Referee earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level referee earnings begin at:

$29.16 per hour

$60,660 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level referee earnings begin at:

$18.53 per hour

$38,550 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level referee earnings begin at:

$16.62 per hour

$34,560 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level referee earnings begin at:

$16.62 per hour

$34,560 per year

10th percentile

Starting level referee earnings begin at:

$12.48 per hour

$25,960 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Referee salary by state

State Name Average Salary
New Jersey $67,600
North Dakota $63,920
South Carolina $61,290
Wisconsin $57,000
Ohio $55,040
Kentucky $53,770
New Hampshire $51,450
Louisiana $50,080
Illinois $49,070
Maryland $48,860
Massachusetts $48,400
West Virginia $46,490
Arizona $46,440
Indiana $46,140
Vermont $46,080
Minnesota $45,570
California $44,530
Colorado $44,230
Pennsylvania $44,200
Iowa $43,040
Texas $42,920
Washington $41,350
Virginia $40,840
Connecticut $39,530
Oregon $38,730
Florida $37,070
Montana $36,370
Tennessee $36,160
South Dakota $35,260
Michigan $34,560
Missouri $33,140
Alaska $32,410
Idaho $32,250
Utah $31,430
Nebraska $31,390
Georgia $28,360
Mississippi $27,060
North Carolina $26,540
Maine $26,370
Kansas $25,780
Rhode Island $24,580
New Mexico $23,470
Delaware $22,790
Arkansas $22,270
Oklahoma $21,900
Alabama $17,960

How do referee salaries compare to similar careers?

Referees earn 33% less than similar careers in Michigan. On average, they make less than talent agents but more than sports writers.

Career Median Salary
Talent agent salary $82K
Fitness coordinator salary $80K
Sports scout salary $47K
Athletic trainer salary $59K
Fitness trainer salary $46K
Referee salary $35K
Sports writer salary $38K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)