How much money do NFL refs make? Officials' salaries and paths to officiating. (2024)

The minimum salary for an NFL player was $660,000 in 2021, according to Statista. That number is projected to grow to $1.065 million by 2030.

But what about referees and officials?

Only the best get to workin the NFL, but once they make the cut, they enjoy more stability than players. Refs don’t get traded from team to team, and they are not as injury-prone as players. The average NFL referee hasover 11 years of NFL experience, according to the 2021 roster of officials.

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How much do NFL referees make?

The league does not release salaries, but various outletshave reported that as of 2019 NFL officials hadanaverage salary of $205,000. This salary is fixed and does notdepend on the number of games officiated.

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This salary can grow based on seniority, and officialscan get significant bonuses in the postseason. The Teal Mango saysbeing selected to officiate the Super Bowl could come with a $10,000 bonus.

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How much money do NFL refs make? Officials' salaries and paths to officiating. (1)

How many female referees are in the NFL?

In 2021, there were two women officiating in the NFL — Maia Chaka and Sarah Thomas, according to the NFL. There will be three whenRobin DeLorenzo becomes a down judgein 2022, according to an announcement by the league. She most recently officiated in college football's Big Ten Conference.

In 2015, Thomas became the first femaleto be a full-time NFLofficial, according to The Focus. In February of 2021, she became the first female to worka Super Bowl.

In September 2021, Chaka became the first Black woman to officiate an NFL game, according to The Sporting News.

The NFL wants more women to officiate the game of football. In 2013, NFL Operations launched the Women Officiating Now programas part of the NFL's Football Officiating Academy.

How do you become an NFL referee?

According to NBC Sports, the NFL requires 10 years of experience officiating American football to be considered for its roster of officials, with at least five years of experience officiating major collegegames.

NBC Sports says experienced officials are often scouted and monitored before they are called up to the NFL.

How much money do NFL refs make? Officials' salaries and paths to officiating. (2024)

FAQs

How much money do NFL refs make? Officials' salaries and paths to officiating.? ›

Entry-level NFL referees, who are typically officials with several years of experience in football officiating

football officiating
The referee is the final decision-making authority on all facts connected with play, and is the match official with the authority to start and stop play and impose disciplinary action against players and coaches during a match.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Referee_(association_football)
, can expect to start with salaries in the range of $100,000 to $200,000 per season.

How much does an official referee get paid in the NFL? ›

Considering the average NFL referee salary is $205,000 and there are 17 rounds per regular season, that means, on average, refs are earning about $12,000 per game. However, not every ref will adjudicate every round, so these numbers are still an estimation.

How much do NFL refs make 2024? ›

Referees may get heavily criticized, but they are paid big money throughout the season and if they make it to the Super Bowl. According to Money.com, officials make an average of $201,000 per season.

What sport has the highest paid referees? ›

NBA referees are among the best-paid officials in professional sports, reflecting the high level of skill, experience, and pressure associated with their job. While top-tier referees earn the highest salaries, even rookie referees are well-compensated.

How do NFL refs get selected? ›

The NFL grades all of the officials and they choose the ones with the highest grades to work not only in the Super Bowl but all playoff games as well. There is also a crew of alternate officials just in case one were to get injured or leave unexpectedly.

How much are NFL refs paid for the Super Bowl? ›

Super Bowl Referees make the most in San Jose, CA at $225,589 averaging total compensation 97% greater than US average.

How much does a waterboy make in the NFL? ›

NFL waterboys actually make a fairly decent salary. Typically speaking individuals earn around $35,000 per year. Those who have been in the game for an extended period of time, however, can earn significantly more, with some even reported to be starting well above $50,000.

Do NFL refs go to college? ›

Umpires and referees are not required to attend four-year colleges or universities, but many do have college degrees. Often sports officials are former college athletes who decided to pursue a career in sports in a nonperformance capacity.

Who is the highest paid NFL player? ›

The highest paid player in the league at that position, the Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow, is also the highest paid player in the league, making $55 million per season (yes, $55 million per season in average annual salary).

How do refs get picked for Super Bowl? ›

How is the Super Bowl officiating crew selected? The NFL's highest-rated official at each position is selected to work in the championship game. This is determined by the league's evaluation system that assesses and grades each official's calls during the regular season.

Who is the richest football referee? ›

In July of that year, Bjorn Kuipers became the first Dutch referee to conduct a UEFA Euro final, between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium, London. Before the match, Kuipers' estimated fortune was widely quoted to be in the region of £11.5 to £12 million, which is more than some of the global football stars make.

Are NFL refs wealthy? ›

In 2019, under the agreement that was to expire in May 2020, game officials earned an average salary of $205,000, according to a post on the latest NFL referee salary agreement from Football Zebras, a site focused on football referees. In 2011, under the preceding contract, officials earned $149,000, on average.

Do NFL referees have other jobs? ›

Unlike players, who are full-time employees, NFL referees are considered part-time employees. Officiating NFL games is not their primary occupation. Many NFL referees have careers outside of football, ranging from professions like lawyers, teachers, and business executives to various other fields.

Can NFL refs be fired? ›

NFL referees can be disciplined or face consequences for making incorrect calls during a game, but the league typically does not fire referees for isolated mistakes.

Do NFL referees fly first class? ›

Each week, NFL officials also get a quiz - a written test on the rules of the game. Friday night or Saturday morning, it's time to fly out. Refs are required to arrive at least 24 hours before a game. They fly first-class and the league covers all their travel expenses.

Do refs get a bonus for the Super Bowl? ›

Money.com reports that in some cases, a couple of NFL referees earning up an average of $114,000 approximately for working with the NFL. For the Super Bowl, every referee will get a bonus and their salary can rage from $54,428 up to a maximum amount of $462,622.

Do NFL refs pay their own travel expenses? ›

In addition to their impressive salaries, NFL referees enjoy benefits like travel expenses and accommodations as they travel from city to city for each game. These referees may also be eligible for performance-based bonuses if they are officiating playoff games or the Super Bowl.

Do NFL referees get a pension? ›

NFL referees are paid a per-game amount as well as a substantial pension plan on top of a flat fee per season. Postseason games offer higher earnings, with double the amount paid compared to games during the regular season.

How much do NFL refs make per season? ›

The compensation for NFL referees reflects their elite status and the critical nature of their duties. Entry-level NFL referees, who are typically officials with several years of experience in football officiating, can expect to start with salaries in the range of $100,000 to $200,000 per season.

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