How Much Do NFL Refs Make? Requirements to Be NFL Refs

Compared to sports leagues worldwide, refereeing in the NFL is a high-paying profession compared to the common ground. So, how much do nfl refs make?

According to the major sports sites (including FanDuel), NFL referees make about $205,000/year.

How much does a NFL ref make a year? Do you know NFL referee salary 2022? In this article, Scott Fujita will help you learn about salary for NFL refs and the factors surrounding that salary.

Let’s find out more in the next section!

NFL refs get a good annual salary.

Who Is an NFL Referee?

NFL referee or NFL ref is a noun that refers to someone who controls a game in football. Referees have a significant duty to enforce rules to control the football game

He also makes the final decision about a situation that cannot be “changed” or opposed. Therefore, he has an enormous contribution to the success of the games. An NFL referee has high standards and requirements for experience, so they have an excellent salary.

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How Much Do NFL Refs Make? NFL Referee Salary 2024

The football sport is becoming more and more popular among Americans. It gradually became a billion-dollar sports industry.

Of course, the football participants all have pretty high salaries compared to the standard level. They are team players, managers, referees, etc. So what is the salary of an NFL referee?

NFL officials will receive a salary commensurate with experience, talent, and years in the profession. Overall, the average income has been admirable.

What Is the Average Salary of an NFL Referee?

A series of protests and lockouts have occurred. The NFL Referees Association has agreed upon a higher compensation for all game officials. So how much does a nfl referee make a year?

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Specifically, the NFL referees make 205,000 USD per year. It is up from the previous $149,000 they received. This amount of money could be even more considerable. They can receive an additional amount per game. It comes from the postseason football games. 

Typically, the amateur referee earns only over $16 per hour. The amount varies depending on the scale of the football games. It is shallow compared to NFL game officials make!

NFL refs and officials.

Why Do NFL Referees Get Such High Salary?

The NFL (National Football League) operates as a sports association. Besides, it also acts as a business. In their operating system, they will have NFL players and NFL officials as employees. And NFL games play a role as their products.

Meanwhile, the NFL is a very hot playground in America. The NFL derives a wealth of resources from the winning of the seasons. The success also partly comes from the brand of those NFL game officials. Therefore, it is entirely worth it for NFL referees to make a good salary.

This video is a more detailed explanation of the high salary of NFL refs.

Dean Blandino explains why the average salary of a NFL official is $205K | FOX NFL.

Standard of an NFL Ref

Being an NFL ref is not easy. We can explore the following factors as the main requirements that an arbitrator should have. In particular, experience is the most crucial factor to have in an NFL ref.

1. Good Health

Health is a necessary condition for all jobs, not just referees. For an NFL referee they need good health to stand for a long time. They also have to run to monitor the player’s behavior regularly. The experience as a player or coach will help these people perform better in their position.

2. Education

The NFL does not require a referee to have a certain degree. However, it is better if they have a degree in any field. For example, if their major is “related” to management, sports or health, it will prepare them for the referee position.

3. Experience

Experience is the most crucial requirement for NFL referees. Not one year, two years, the referee needs to have seasoned experience on the NFL field. They need to have at least ten years of official experience in football games.

NFL Refs play an important role in football games.

Steps to Take the NFL Referee Seat

It usually takes much exertion and time and effort to win a referee slot for the NFL. As analyzed above, the NFL only accepts people with more than ten years of experience calling football games. 

In addition, they need to have a sufficient amount of knowledge about the game and a schedule that is not too narrow.

If you wonder why NFL games pay for referees so much, see what they have to go through.

Step 1: Get one or more degrees of Bachelor.

The Degree of Bachelor is not a requirement for NFL referees. However, applicants should have more opportunities to become a referee. 

The reason is that they already have macro knowledge or at least something related to this industry. The candidate should prepare for 1 or 2 bachelor’s degrees related to sports.

Step 2: Go through the training process.

Candidates can participate in the training process provided by colleges or training schools. In these courses, candidates will learn more about all the things a referee has to do. 

He needs to know the game’s rules, how to play, and the player’s tricks. Besides lessons related to morality or spirit, playing culture is also what a future referee needs to learn.

Step 3: Get registration of state.

A new referee usually starts at high school or college level games. They need to register with the state where they will work.

You know, the regulations of each state are not the same. In general, candidates need to pass a written exam.

This step also checks what you have accumulated from step 2.

Step 4: Accumulate experience.

This process will take about five years. It is five years for the candidate to accumulate each relationship and experience to advance to higher levels. They need to do this at high school or college tournaments, as discussed above.

Step 5: Gain certification

How do referees gain these certifications? They will participate in special training courses to receive the certificates. 

These additional certifications are not required. But it comes down to the priority factor. Of course, a person with many certificates proves that he has worked hard. And the NFL will give such bright candidates more opportunities.

Step 6: Get the result.

Go through the above five steps, and you are eligible to be an NFL referee. Now you just have to perform as well as you can in every game you run. NFL scouts will secretly look for new talent.

They will then check the referee’s work schedule for the past three seasons. If he qualifies, he will receive a notice and officially become the NFL referee.

It’s a tough road, isn’t it?

NFL ref has gone through many challenges before becoming the official NFL ref.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some common questions about the topic “how much do NFL referees make”:

1. How much do NFL referees make in 2024?

The NFL ref salary 2024 is 205,000 USD.

2. What are the NFL Officials?

Officials refer to only one crew of seven people. They include Referees – Umpires – Down judges – Line judges – Side judges and Back judges – Field judges. 

Each will perform their task. In which the referee will be the one to make a final call. They also follow and control officials. Of course, the referee’s salary is always higher than the other six people in the crew.

3. How much do referees get in the Super Bowl?

An NFL referee can get over 10,000 USD when he calls the most remarkable event – Super Bowl.

4. Do the NFL referees work as a full-time job or a part-time job?

They are all part-time employees. They don’t have many things to do from the end of each season until May. But they are full-time employees throughout the football season.

Final Thoughts 

How much does an NFL ref make? How much does a football referee make? These topics revealed the generous salaries that NFL refs receive. It was completely worth it compared to what they had to go through over the years. Thank you for reading!