How much does a college football referee make?
William Rodriguez
Published Jan 13, 2026
Salary Ranges for College Football Referees
How much do NFL refs make per game?
Although the official figures are not usually revealed publicly, after the last agreement between the league and the NFL Referees Association it was known that in the 2019 season, referees received earnings of $205,000 on average. This equates to around $12,000 per game, a pretty significant figure.
How much do NCAA refs make per game?
How Much Do College Basketball Referees Make? According to reports, college basketball referees take home an average salary between $58,000 and $72,000. The top officials in the bigger conferences like the SEC, ACC and Big Ten can be paid as much as $2,000 per game, but that number dwindles in smaller conference games.
How much do d1 college football refs make?
The salaries of College Football Referees in the US range from $11,753 to $314,406 , with a median salary of $57,014 . The middle 57% of College Football Referees makes between $57,015 and $142,490, with the top 86% making $314,406.
How much do Big 10 refs make per game?
Officials of college games are not covered by unions but still can make more than six figures — around $2,500 per game in major conferences like the Big East, Big Ten or Big XII — according to Sapling.
44 related questions foundHow much do NFL Waterboys make?
On average, NFL waterboys make $53,000 per year (according to Stack.com). However, that's just the salary for beginners. For professionals, their salary can be higher as any other highest paid NFL waterboy.
What is the highest paid referee?
Brad Allen and Walter Anderson are the highest-paid NFL referees for the 2020-21 season.
What is Sarah Thomas salary?
Sarah Thomas is the highest paid female referee bringing in close to $250,000 per year as an NFL official.
Do NFL refs pay their own travel expenses?
Do NFL refs Pay Their Own Travel Expenses? Since referees have to spend a lot of time traveling to games throughout the NFL season, they do receive a stipend to cover their travel expenses, but the amount of the stipend is not publicly available.
What does NFL official get paid?
We've all wondered it at one point: How much do NFL referees make? The answer: It's a big pay day. According to various sites, including FanDuel, the average NFL referee salary was set at $205,000 per year starting in 2019. TWO-HUNDRED-AND-FIVE-THOUSAND-DOLLARS!
Do NFL refs have other jobs?
They are paid well, but most of them have "day" jobs during the week and throughout the offseason. Some, including referees Walt Anderson and Terry McAulay, are officiating supervisors at the college level. Others have careers entirely unrelated to football.
How much do refs get paid for Super Bowl?
Money.com reported back in 2018 that officials would likely make about $40,000, and that the range is probably between $30,000 and $50,000.
How much does an NFL Water Girl make?
How much does an NFL waterboy make? The typical starting salary for a waterboy is $53,000 per year according to stack.com.
How much does an NFL mascot make?
In the NFL, the average salary nearly doubles to about $60,000 per year. There are some professional mascots who make six-figures or more in a season. NBA Denver Nuggets' Rocky is the highest-paid mascot in all of sports, making $625,000 per year. Rocky was even inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame back in 2006.
How much does an NFL towel boy make?
Salary of a Towel Boy
But NBA towel boys make in the $55,000 to $60,000 range, so it's safe to say their NFL counterparts aren't accepting minimum wage.
How much do World Cup final referees make?
World Cup referees make $50,000 for the tournament, which spans over 2 months. While this is a sizable sum, this is only awarded to the 10 best FIFA referees. Not all FIFA referees are granted this type of financial reward. Many referees hold full-time or part-time in addition to refereeing international matches.
How much do NBA refs make?
How much do NBA referees make per game? According to reliable sources, somewhere between $180,000 and $550,000 is reported to be the average salary of ref. They are paid according to their level of experience. It costs around $600 per match for a rookie official.
What is Sean McVay salary?
Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams, $15-18 million per year
In 2022, he won Super Bowl LVI, becoming the youngest coach to do so. Now, he's reportedly the highest-paid NFL coach, which also makes him the highest-paid NFL coach of all-time.
What is the highest paid NFL referee?
Who is the Highest Paid NFL Referee? Walt Anderson and Brad Allen were the two NFL referees with the highest reported salaries for the 2020-2021 season, with Sarah Thomas earning the most as a female referee.
Do NFL refs get Super Bowl rings?
The officials get Super Bowl rings just like the players do. They aren't as big as the players' rings, but they are still valuable pieces of jewelry. These rings mean the world to the officials and they wear them with such pride.
How long does it take to become an NFL ref?
The NFL requires that an official have at least 10 years of officiating football before being considered to be an NFL official. Out of those 10 years, at least five of them must include major college games.
Do NFL referees fly first class?
Refs are required to arrive at least 24 hours before a game. They fly first-class and the league covers all their travel expenses.
