How Much Do NFL Referees Make?
Contents
How much do NFL referees make? That’s a great question! Here’s a breakdown of what we know about their salaries.
How Much Do NFL Referees Make?
According to Forbes, the average NFL referee make around $173,000 per year. However, the pay can differ based on experience and seniority. For example, the head referee for the Super Bowl made $30,000 more than the other referees for that game. NFL referees also receive other benefits, such as pension and 401(k) plans.
The NFL Referee Salary
The NFL referee salary is one of the most sought-after compensation figures in all of professional sports. There are a number of factors that contribute to this, but the primary reason is that NFL referees are some of the highest-paid officials in any sport.
As of 2019, the average NFL referee salary is $205,000. However, this figure can vary depending on a number of factors, including experience and seniority. The starting salary for an NFL referee is $110,000, but those with years of experience can earn upwards of $500,000 per year.
In addition to their base salary, NFL referees also receive a number of other benefits. These include travel expenses, pension plans, and health insurance. Some referees also have endorsement deals that add to their overall earnings.
The NFL referee salary is certainly one of the most coveted compensation packages in all of sports. But it’s important to remember that becoming an NFL referee is not an easy task. There is a lengthy and difficult application process, and only a small percentage of those who apply are ultimately accepted into the program.
Per Game Fees
As of the 2019 NFL season, new NFL officials will earn an annual salary of $205,000, or $11,906.25 per game. Officials also receive a defined-401(k) retirement plan from the league and a pension plan from the National Football League Referees Association. Additionally, they can participate in supplemental retirement savings plans.
Postseason Salaries
NFL playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held after the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Seven teams from each conference (four division winners and three wild card teams) qualify for the playoffs. The four division winners are seeded 1 through 4 based on their overall won-lost-tied record, and the wild card teams are seeded 5 and 6.
The NFL playoffs are not a pure single-elimination tournament, as divisions function somewhat like conferences in college football, in that their champions automatically advance to the playoff semifinals, even if they have worse records than other teams. In fact, division champions sometimes “back into” the playoffs with losing records; this happened most recently in 2016, when the Detroit Lions (9–7) qualified for the NFC playoffs by winning their division, despite having a worse record than five other playoff qualifiers in that conference
If two or more clubs are tied in both won-lost percentage and strength of victory, the following steps will be taken:
##1: Applied to all clubs with 6 or more wins. Club’s strength of victory is measured by taking the combined won/lost record of every opponent that it defeated during the season and computing winning percentage.
##2: Applied to all clubs with fewer than 6 victories. Club’s strength of schedule is measured by taking the combined won/lost record of every opponent that it faced during the season and computing winning percentage
How Much Do NFL Referees Make In Other Leagues?
NFL referees make a good salary, but they make even more in other leagues. For instance, in the CFL, NFL referees make an average of $5,000 per game. This is because the CFL has a smaller budget than the NFL. In the XFL, NFL referees make an average of $8,000 per game.
The Canadian Football League
The CFL uses a different field size and has slightly different rules than the NFL, but they still manage to pull in some veteran NFL officials. According to TSN’s Dave Naylor, the going rate for CFL officials is between $2,000-$3,000 per game. That’s a significant pay cut from the NFL, but it’s still not a bad salary for a part-time gig.
The Arena Football League
While the NFL is the most popular and highest paying football league in the world, there are many other professional leagues that pay their referees well. One such league is the Arena Football League, which is a professional indoor American football league in the United States. As of 2019, the average salary for an AFL referee is $500 per game.
High School and College Football
In high school and college football, referees typically make between $50 and $100 per game. For a typical 10-game season, that comes out to $500 to $1,000. That might not sound like much, but it’s a decent supplemental income for officials who already have full-time jobs. And it’s not bad pay for a part-time gig.
How Much Do NFL Referees Make Per Year?
NFL referees officiate the games and are responsible for enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game. They are also responsible for spotting fouls and making sure the players are safe. NFL referees make an average of $173,000 per year.
The NFL Referee Salary
The NFL Referee Salary is $205,000 per year. If a referee works for the NFL for 20 years, they will have made $4.1 million. However, refs only work about ten games per year, so their per-game salary is actually $20,500. NFL referees also receive benefits, such as pension and 401(k) plans.
Per Game Fees
As of 2019, NFL referees made an average of $205,000 per year. NFL referees are paid on a per-game basis and receive a fee for each game they work. In addition to their per-game fee, NFL referees also receive a retirement plan and health insurance.
Postseason Salaries
In the NFL, as with most professional sports leagues, officials are paid on a per-game basis. How much they make depends on their employment status within the league. Officials who work only regular season games make less money than those who also work post-season games, which are generally more prestigious and attract larger audiences.
According to Business Insider, the average salary for an NFL referee is $173,000 per year. Post-season bonuses can increase this amount by as much as $10,000 per game. For example, Super Bowl referees can earn an additional $11,900 for a total payout of $185,000.
How Much Do NFL Referees Make In Other Leagues?
Although NFL referees are among the highest-paid officials in any sport, they actually make relatively little compared to referees in other leagues. For example, MLB umpires make an average of $420,000 per year, while NBA referees make an average of $375,000. So, how much do NFL referees make?
The Canadian Football League
In the Canadian Football League, refs make an average of $110,000 per season. The CFL uses a different ball and has different rules than the NFL, so it’s not exactly the same game. But it is professional football, and the refs are expected to know the rules inside and out. They also have to be able to keep up with the speed of the game, which can be challenging.
The Arena Football League
In the Arena Football League, referees are paid per game. According to an article on forbes.com, the average salary for an NFL referee is $173,000 per year. The same article states that the average salary for an Arena Football League referee is $850 per game.
High School and College Football
While the NFL is the most popular and highest-paying football league in the United States, it is not the only one. Referees in high school and college football leagues also earn a good salary, although not as much as those in the NFL.
According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a high school football referee is $45,472 per year. However, this number can vary depending on the state you live in. For example, referees in California are paid an average of $57,499 per year, while those in Texas earn an average of $43,370 per year.
Similarly, the average salary for a college football referee is $61,500 per year, according to Business Insider. However, like high school referees, this number can vary depending on the conference and level of competition. For example, officials in major Division I conferences like the SEC and Big Ten can earn up to $200,000 per year.
