Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Horse Show Judge
- Major League Baseball Umpire (MLB Umpire)
- Referee
- Sports Official
Alternate Job Titles
- Athletic Events Scorer
- Baseball Coach
- Baseball Umpire
- Basketball Manager
- Basketball Referee
- Basketball Scorekeeper
- Clerk of Scales
- Clocker
- Dance Critic
- Diving Judge
- Dressage Judge
- Equestrian Events Judge
- Flag Football Referee
- Football Referee
- Handicapper
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed.
- Inspect game sites for compliance with regulations or safety requirements.
- Resolve claims of rule infractions or complaints by participants and assess any necessary penalties, according to regulations.
- Signal participants or other officials to make them aware of infractions or to otherwise regulate play or competition.
- Teach and explain the rules and regulations governing a specific sport.
- Inspect sporting equipment or examine participants to ensure compliance with event and safety regulations.
- Report to regulating organizations regarding sporting activities, complaints made, and actions taken or needed, such as fines or other disciplinary actions.
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Speaking
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Far Vision
- Oral Comprehension
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Speech Clarity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Speech Recognition
- Flexibility of Closure
- Time Sharing
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Integrity
- Self-Control
- Dependability
- Stress Tolerance
- Self-Confidence
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Independence
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Air gauges
- Announcement systems
- Ball inflators
- Communications headsets
- Countdown timers
- Digital video disk DVD players
- Elbow pads
- Electronic display boards
- Elliptical trainers
- Equipment scales
- Exercise bicycles
- Fitness treadmills
- Hockey girdles
- Hockey skates
- Laptop computers
Work Environment
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Spend Time Standing
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $25,070 |
| Median | $38,820 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $93,180 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 15,080
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
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Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.