How Much Do NFL Refs Make?

In terms of wealthy owners and player income, the NFL is one of the richest sports leagues in the world. The greatest NFL players such as Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes take home at least $45 million a year, before you even take into account their endorsement deals, making them some of the highest paid athletes in the world. But after overcoming the dizzy spell that these salaries are sure to induce, maybe you wonder about the men and women in black and white.

Normally we only think about referees and officials to complain about a horrendous, obvious error that we can’t believe they missed. But have you ever wondered about how much referees are paid in the NFL? Referees are an integral part of every match and game in every sport, but their income can vary wildly between sports and between leagues.

Although online sports betting fans may curse their names sometimes, NFL referees and officials have years of experience in officiating at some of the highest levels of football across the country. As such, NFL referees can expect a healthy salary especially if they officiate in the post-season or at the Super Bowl.

Read on to learn how much NFL refs make and who are the richest NFL refs in 2022.

How Much do NFL Refs Make?

Referee Robin DeLorenzo during an NFL preseason football game between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022 in Foxborough, Mass. (Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini)

Officially, the NFL does not release the salaries of their officials but investigative minds have made informed guesses as to the take-home pay of the NFL’s referees. It is estimated that the average salary for an NFL referee is $205,000. Which is pretty great money for what is, essentially, a part-time job!

On top of this, NFL refs are paid per game which can boost salaries to an estimated $250,000 in the regular season. This can be further enhanced by officiating post-season games and the Super Bowl.

As NFL refs are part time, many also hold a second job in addition to their officiating duties. Super Bowl XLI ref Tony Corrette, for instance, also worked as a social sciences teacher at several high schools in Los Angeles. Current NFL ref side gigs include insurance underwriter (Jerome Boger), CPA (Bill Vinovich), and aerospace software engineer (Adrian Hill)!

According to the Gazette Review, the top 10 highest paid NFL refs and officials are:

• Ed Hochuli ($255,000)
• Walt Anderson ($250,000)
• Brad Allen ($250,000)
• Craig Wrolstad ($250,000)
• Tony Corrente ($230,000)
• Jeff Bergman ($230,000)
• Tony Veteri ($225,000)
• Mark Steinkerchner ($210,000)
• Walt Coleman ($205,000)
• Byron Boston ($205,000)

Let’s take a look at the richest NFL refs in more detail:

Ed Hochuli

• Net worth – $6 Million

NFL referee Ed Hochuli (85) makes a call during an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017, in Chicago. The 49ers won the game 15-14. (Jeff Haynes/AP Images for Panini)

Although he retired in 2017, Ed Hochuli remains one of the most NFL refs of all time. In his 27-year career as an NFL official, he refereed two of the best Super Bowls (XXXII and XXXVIII) and even had the honor of refereeing the first regular season game held outside the United States in Mexico City and he even announced his decisions in Spanish as well!

In addition to his hefty salary as an NFL ref, Hochuli was an attorney and partner in the law firm of Jones, Skelton, and Hochuli in Phoenix, Arizona. Before his retirement, Hochuli was an incredibly well regarded attorney at the state and federal levels. On the difference between his two careers, Hochuli did maintained that “a trial is nothing, pressure-wise, compared to the NFL”!

Walt Anderson

•  Net worth – $5 Million

Another legendary NFL ref, Walt Anderson’s career as an NFL official spanned 23 years and he also refereed two Super Bowls (XXXV and XLV). Prior to becoming an NFL official, Anderson earned his DMD and practised as a dentist almost 25 years.

After giving up his dental tools to become an NFL referee in 2003, Anderson enjoyed a long career on the field before stepping behind the scenes as Senior Vice President of Officiating Training and Development.

Brad Allen

• Net worth – $5 Million

Refereeing in the NFL since 2014, Brad Allen has been officiating since 1986. In addition to his NFL duties, Allen also works as the CEO of a non-profit and the regional supervisor of high school basketball officials. So it’s safe to assume that refereeing is his passion!

How Much Does a Super Bowl Ref Make?

Referee Ronald Torbert (62) looks out between plays during the NFL Super Bowl 56 football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)

As we mentioned earlier, NFL refs receive an enhanced payout for officiating post-season games, so it makes sense that calling the biggest game of the year will come with a nice check to boot!

The exact size of this payout is debated, but it’s estimated that Super Bowl referees can earn up to $40,000! Although that’s a payday most of us could only dream of – imagine messing up in the most-watched sporting event of the year, leading to one of the worst Super Bowls ever. You can understand why the best of the best are paid as such.

Do NFL Refs Make More Than Other Refs?

 Although you may have balked at the huge salaries that NFL refs earn, it may surprise you to learn that NFL refs don’t necessarily make the most when compared to their colleagues in other sports! While NFL refs make on average $205,000 a year, referees in the following sports can often earn more than their football counterparts;

• Baseball betting fans will know that umpires are an absolutely essential part of the sport. It may surprise you to learn that MLB umpires earn, on average, $235,000!
• NBA betting fanatics have probably noticed that basketball refs are some of the most physically active of all sporting officials. Their salary matches this as NBA referees may earn anywhere between $150,000 and $550,000 per year.
• NHL betting may not require special skills, but officiating in hockey requires fast reflexes and excellent skating ability. In the NHL, new referees can expect to earn $200,000 but this could rise to $430,000 a year after 15 years on the ice. This salary is further increased by officiating in the playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals.
• Fans of soccer betting in USA may not be aware of the interesting and sometimes unusual side-gigs held by many European soccer referees (especially in countries where refereeing is not paid as a full time job). But the top referees in the English Premier League can earn up to £200,000 (approx. $240,000), which is further enhanced by match bonuses and by refereeing continental matches in the Champions League.
• Unless you’re an avid follower of WWE betting, you may be surprised to learn that the top WWE referees can earn up to $500,000. However unlike referees in more traditional sports, WWE referees play an important role in managing the flow of the show, checking for injuries, and communicating with management backstage.

So despite having some of the highest paid athletes on Earth, the NFL does actually lag behind somewhat when it comes to paying their referees and officials.

How Can You Become an NFL Referee?

Now that you know how much you could earn as an NFL ref, you’re probably to get out there and start officiating! Well, we hate to break it to you but the road to becoming an NFL referee is a long and arduous one. Generally speaking, the path to becoming an NFL referee can take up to 20 years!

The NFL runs courses to help wannabe refs learn the ropes but ultimately aspiring officials need to start at the grassroots level. You will need to work your way up the football ladder from local, to high school, to college and gain at least 10 years of experience (including five years at the college level).

You’ll also need to be fully accredited and have to know the NFL rulebook back to front. If, after all of that, you are offered to become an official in the NFL, then you really are one of the best of the best.

Now that you have a new-found respect of the hard work and knowledge of NFL refs, why not check out our list of the best online sportsbook for NFL betting in the US? You can find a safe online sportsbook and start betting playing at a real money sports betting site today!