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Salary comparison

Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials vs. Coaches and Scouts: Who Earns More?

Coaches and Scoutss out-earn Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officialss by $7K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officialss land at $40,710 and Coaches and Scoutss at $47,320. The education gap is real: umpires, referees, and other sports official programs typically require bachelor's degree, while coaches and scout programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officialss is New Jersey ($67,600); for Coaches and Scoutss it's New Jersey ($76,700).

Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Coaches and Scouts
Median salary
$40,710
$47,320
Hourly rate
$null/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$26,540
$28,790
Senior level (90th %)
$82,960
$98,860
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
15,780
248,950
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Arts & Media
Arts & Media
Top-paying state
New Jersey
New Jersey

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials median pay.

State
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Coaches and Scouts
New Jersey
$67,600
$76,700
Louisiana
$50,080
$60,960
Illinois
$49,070
$49,120
Massachusetts
$48,400
$55,130
West Virginia
$46,490
$52,050
Arizona
$46,440
$53,130
Vermont
$46,080
$59,990
Pennsylvania
$44,200
$48,730
Iowa
$43,040
$49,350
Washington
$41,350
$48,030
Connecticut
$39,530
$54,790
Oregon
$38,730
$48,960
Montana
$36,370
$48,020
Nebraska
$31,390
$47,810
Georgia
$28,360
$48,210

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officialss or Coaches and Scoutss?

Coaches and Scoutss earn more nationally. The median is $40,710 for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officialss versus $47,320 for Coaches and Scoutss, a difference of $7K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials or Coaches and Scouts?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials or Coaches and Scouts?

Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials typically requires bachelor's degree. Coaches and Scouts requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officialss get paid the most?

New Jersey is the top-paying state for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officialss at $67,600/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials vs. Coaches and Scouts pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New Jersey, Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officialss earn $67,600 vs. $76,700 for Coaches and Scoutss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials salary breakdownView →Full Coaches and Scouts salary breakdownView →Best cities for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officialss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Coaches and Scoutss by take-home payExplore →How to become a umpires, referees, and other sports officialsGuide →How to become a coaches and scoutsGuide →