What Do NFL Officials Make?

Find out how much NFL officials make in salary and benefits, as well as what kind of pension plan they receive.

Referees

NFL officials are the men in black and white who make sure the NFL’s games are fair and fun. They enforce the rules and keep the players safe. NFL officials make an average of $173,000 per year.

Salaries

NFL officials are paid on a per-game basis by the teams they work for, and they earn different amounts depending on their experience level. According to Business Insider, first-year officials in 2018 made $1,800 per game, while those with 21 or more years of experience earned $3,700 per game. Super Bowl officials earn even more money: In 2018, they made $7,000 each for working the big game.

Those game checks are just part of the story, though. According to SportingCharts.com, NFL officials also receive a pension plan that vests after just three years on the job. After 20 years of service, an official can retire at 55 and receive an annual pension worth nearly half their average salary from their best three years on the field. So if an official averaged $3,000 per game over his or her career and retire at 55, he or she would receive an annual pension of about $27,000.

Perks

In addition to their salary, NFL officials receive a number of perks. These include free travel to and from the games they officiate, free accommodations on the days leading up to and including the game, a per diem for food and other expenses, and tickets to the game for themselves and their families.

Umpires

NFL umpires are responsible for upholding the rules of the game and enforcing them on the field. They also work closely with the head referee to make sure that the game is running smoothly. NFL umpires make an average of $173,000 per year.

Salaries

As of 2019, NFL officials make an average of $205,000 per year. Referees make the most, averaging $350,000 per year. umpires are next at an average of $275,000, followed by line judges at $200,000. Back judges and side judges make an average of $190,000 and $180,000 respectively. Field judges round out the group at an average of $175,000 per year. NFL officials also receive perks like free travel and game tickets.

Perks

In addition to their salaries, NFL officials receive a number of perks. According to Forbes, these include first-class travel to and from games, comfortable hotel accommodations, meals and drinks on game days, a pension plan and 401(k) with matching contributions from the NFL, health insurance and life insurance. They also receive a $400 per game stipend for incidental expenses.

Down Judges

NFL officials make a base salary of $173,000 per year, which is less than the average player. NFL officials also receive a pension and health benefits. The NFL officials’ pension plan is worth an estimated $60 million. The average NFL official makes about $34,000 per game.

Salaries

As of 2019, NFL officials made an average of $205,000 per year. NFL referees, who are the most experienced and have the most responsibility of any officials on the field, made an average of $325,000 per year. New officials, who are typically younger and less experienced than referees, made an average of $173,000 per year.

Perks

In addition to their game-day pay, NFL officials receive a number of perks, including:
-Generous travel allowances
-Paid hotel accommodations
-Paid meals
-Rental car reimbursement
-Complimentary tickets to the Super Bowl and other major NFL events

Line Judges

The NFL employs seven officials for each game, which include the referee, umpire, head linesman, line judge, back judge, side judge and field judge. According to Business Insider, the average salary for an NFL official is $173,000 a year, which is higher than the average salary for officials in other professional sports leagues.

Salaries

The salary for NFL officials ranges from $25,000 to $70,000 per year. The average salary is $51,000. The officials are paid on a per-game basis and they also receive a postseason bonus.

Perks

In addition to their salaries, NFL officials enjoy several other perks and benefits. They are given first-class accommodations when traveling to games, and they also receive a daily meal allowance. They also enjoy other benefits, such as a retirement plan and health insurance.

Side Judges

In the National Football League, the game officials are responsible for the fair and equitable play of the game. There are seven game officials, each with their own specific duties. One of these officials is the side judge, who has several responsibilities during the course of a game. In this article, we’ll take a look at what the side judge does and how much they make.

Salaries

NFL officials are paid on a tiered system, with the best-performing and most experienced referees earning the highest salaries. In 2019, the NFL’s top-rated officials were estimated to earn annual salaries in excess of $200,000. Newly hired NFL officials start at an annual salary of $110,000.

Perks

In addition to their game-day salary, officials also receive a per diem for each day of work, which covers travel and other expenses. NFL officials also receive a retirement plan and health insurance.
At the end of each season, the NFL sends officials on an all-expenses-paid trip to either Hawaii or Mexico.

Back Judges

Back judges are the officials who line up on the same side of the field as the press box. In college football, the back judge is responsible for the 10-second run-off rule and spotting the ball for the next play when it goes out of bounds. They also count the number of players on each team at the start of the play, watch for pass interference, and make sure no one is using abusive language. In the NFL, back judges earn an average salary of $173,000 per year.

Salaries

Back judges in the NFL are paid $173,000 per year, as of 2019. They are also paid an additional $11,900 for each postseason game they work, which includes the Wild Card playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Conference championships and Super Bowl.

Perks

Among the benefits that NFL officials receive are:
-Paid travel expenses to and from the game site
-Food and lodging for the officials while on site for the game
-An additional per diem allowance for food and incidental expenses on days when they work
-An annual physical exam paid for by the NFL
-Reimbursement for reasonable fitness club dues

Field Judges

Field Judges are the lowest-paid officials in the NFL. They make $25,000 per year, which is a little more than $2,000 per game. That might not seem like a lot, but it is more than what most people make in a week. NFL officials are not paid hourly, but they are paid a per-game fee.

Salaries

NFL officials are some of the highest-paid sports officials in the world. According to a report by Sporting News, the average salary for an NFL referee is $205,000 per year. Salaries for other NFL officials, such as umpires and line judges, range from $173,000 to $200,000 per year.

Perks

In addition to a solid salary, NFL officials enjoy some generous perks. For one, they don’t have to pay for their travel to games. The NFL covers the cost of their flights, hotels and meals while they’re on the road. They also receive a daily allowance for incidentals like laundry and dry cleaning.