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Referee vs sports official

The differences between referees and sports officials can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a referee has an average salary of $56,571, which is higher than the $36,685 average annual salary of a sports official.

The top three skills for a referee include safety regulations, CPR and game rules. The most important skills for a sports official are CPR, intramural sports, and conflict resolution.

Referee vs sports official overview

RefereeSports Official
Yearly salary$56,571$36,685
Hourly rate$27.20$17.64
Growth rate32%32%
Number of jobs6,1646,921
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age3333
Years of experience--

Referee vs sports official salary

Referees and sports officials have different pay scales, as shown below.

RefereeSports Official
Average salary$56,571$36,685
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $127,000Between $25,000 And $52,000
Highest paying CityPhiladelphia, PASeattle, WA
Highest paying statePennsylvaniaWashington
Best paying companySyracuse UniversityCity and County of Denver Government
Best paying industry-Education

Differences between referee and sports official education

There are a few differences between a referee and a sports official in terms of educational background:

RefereeSports Official
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Referee vs sports official demographics

Here are the differences between referees' and sports officials' demographics:

RefereeSports Official
Average age3333
Gender ratioMale, 75.7% Female, 24.3%Male, 82.2% Female, 17.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 6.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 4.9% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 6.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 4.9% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between referee and sports official duties and responsibilities

Referee example responsibilities.

  • Manage conflicts and resolutions between other umpires and coaches/parents.
  • Certify in CPR if need and remain calm in stressful situations.
  • Age groups ranging from coach pitch to NCAA.
  • Court referee- run up and down the court watching for fouls, travels, double dribbles, etc.
  • Pool and championship competitive league umpire.
  • Implement a CPR class for incoming referees.
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Sports official example responsibilities.

  • Manage conflicts and resolutions between other umpires and coaches/parents.
  • Referee of soccer, softball, basketball, volleyball and flag football CPR certify
  • Execute in game promotions during collegiate football, basketball, volleyball and other events around campus.
  • Coach member participants in sport activities such as basketball and volleyball to encourage both exercise and friendly competition.
  • Exercise leadership skills by coaching the new officials while working in a fast-pace environment and maintaining composure under pressure.
  • Attend NFL games, shadow the cameraman and assist coordinating interviews with players in the locker rooms after games.
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Referee vs sports official skills

Common referee skills
  • Safety Regulations, 47%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Game Rules, 7%
  • Hockey Games, 4%
  • Safety Rules, 4%
  • Intramural Sports, 3%
Common sports official skills
  • CPR, 49%
  • Intramural Sports, 6%
  • Conflict Resolution, 4%
  • Softball Games, 4%
  • Safety Regulations, 4%
  • League Rules, 3%

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