CareerGPS

Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
529 583 54 10.26% 11 152 163 $19.10 $39,727 High school diploma or equivalent
Description: Officiate at competitive athletic or sporting events. Detect infractions of rules and decide penalties according to established regulations.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed.
  • Judge performances in sporting competitions in order to award points, impose scoring penalties, and determine results.
  • Signal participants or other officials to make them aware of infractions or to otherwise regulate play or competition.
  • Inspect sporting equipment and/or examine participants in order to ensure compliance with event and safety regulations.
  • Keep track of event times, including race times and elapsed time during game segments, starting or stopping play when necessary.
  • Start races and competitions.
  • Resolve claims of rule infractions or complaints by participants and assess any necessary penalties, according to regulations.
  • Verify scoring calculations before competition winners are announced.
  • Report to regulating organizations regarding sporting activities, complaints made, and actions taken or needed such as fines or other disciplinary actions.
  • Confer with other sporting officials, coaches, players, and facility managers in order to provide information, coordinate activities, and discuss problems.
  • Teach and explain the rules and regulations governing a specific sport.
  • Verify credentials of participants in sporting events, and make other qualifying determinations such as starting order or handicap number.

Knowledge

%
-

Skills

62%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
60%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
60%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
60%
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
60%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
53%
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
53%
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
50%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
50%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
50%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
50%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Abilities

66%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
66%
Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
62%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
62%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
60%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
60%
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
56%
Speed of Closure - The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
56%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
56%
Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
53%
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
53%
Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes compa
53%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
53%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
50%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Work Activities

74%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
72%
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
71%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
69%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
68%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
67%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
64%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
61%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
60%
Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
57%
Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
56%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
54%
Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
53%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Title Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Overall Experience Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include food service managers, electricians, agricultural technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.
Education Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Interests

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outsi
Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Work Styles

Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Work Values

Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.