Jobs Similar to Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Also called: Umpires and Sports Officials
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to umpires, referees, and other sports officials, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers, Coaches and Scouts and First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers.
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials: $40,710 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers | 78% | $48,590+19% | Training or associate |
| 2 | Coaches and ScoutsSame group | 77% | $47,320+16% | Bachelor's degree |
| 3 | First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services | 76% | $48,560+19% | High school |
| 4 | First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | 75% | $55,940+37% | High school |
| 5 | Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators | 75% | $43,370+7% | High school |
| 6 | First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | 75% | $77,970+92% | Training or associate |
| 7 | Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling | 75% | $79,520+95% | Bachelor's degree |
| 8 | Loss Prevention Managers | 74% | $141,900Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 9 | Compliance Managers | 74% | $141,900Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 10 | Bailiffs | 74% | $56,600+39% | Training or associate |
| 11 | First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers | 74% | $63,820+57% | High school |
| 12 | Gambling Dealers | 74% | $34,320−16% | High school |
| 13 | Gambling Managers | 73% | $93,220+129% | High school |
| 14 | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 73% | $69,500+71% | Training or associate |
| 15 | Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | 73% | $50,340+24% | High school |
| 16 | Correctional Officers and Jailers | 72% | $58,940+45% | High school |
| 17 | Athletes and Sports CompetitorsSame group | 72% | $66,710+64% | High school |
| 18 | Recreation Workers | 72% | $36,560−10% | Bachelor's degree |
| 19 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 72% | $106,040+160% | High school |
| 20 | Retail Loss Prevention Specialists | 72% | $42,540Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
- 1First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers
78% similar · $48,590 (+19%) · Training or associate
- 2Coaches and Scouts
77% similar · $47,320 (+16%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 3First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services
76% similar · $48,560 (+19%) · High school
- 4First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers
75% similar · $55,940 (+37%) · High school
- 5Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators
75% similar · $43,370 (+7%) · High school
- 6First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
75% similar · $77,970 (+92%) · Training or associate
- 7Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
75% similar · $79,520 (+95%) · Bachelor's degree
- 8Loss Prevention Managers
74% similar · $141,900 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 9Compliance Managers
74% similar · $141,900 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 10Bailiffs
74% similar · $56,600 (+39%) · Training or associate
- 11First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers
74% similar · $63,820 (+57%) · High school
- 12Gambling Dealers
74% similar · $34,320 (−16%) · High school
- 13Gambling Managers
73% similar · $93,220 (+129%) · High school
- 14First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
73% similar · $69,500 (+71%) · Training or associate
- 15Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
73% similar · $50,340 (+24%) · High school
- 16Correctional Officers and Jailers
72% similar · $58,940 (+45%) · High school
- 17Athletes and Sports Competitors
72% similar · $66,710 (+64%) · High school · Same group
- 18Recreation Workers
72% similar · $36,560 (−10%) · Bachelor's degree
- 19First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
72% similar · $106,040 (+160%) · High school
- 20Retail Loss Prevention Specialists
72% similar · $42,540 (broader group) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than umpires, referees, and other sports officials.
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives72% similar · $106,040 (+160%)
- Gambling Managers73% similar · $93,220 (+129%)
- Athletes and Sports Competitors72% similar · $66,710 (+64%)
- First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers74% similar · $63,820 (+57%)
- Correctional Officers and Jailers72% similar · $58,940 (+45%)
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers75% similar · $55,940 (+37%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for umpires, referees, and other sports officials also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs for former umpires, referees, and other sports officials →
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where umpires, referees, and other sports officials is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Gambling Dealers (78)
- Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners (77)
- Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators (75)
- Animal Trainers (73)
- First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services (72)
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers (67)
- Demonstrators and Product Promoters (66)
- Models (48)
Questions about jobs like umpires, referees, and other sports officials
What jobs are most similar to umpires, referees, and other sports officials?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers (78% similar), Coaches and Scouts (77% similar), First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers (76% similar), First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers (75% similar) and Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators (75% similar).
Which jobs like umpires, referees, and other sports officials pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives ($106,040, +160%; usually a high school diploma), Gambling Managers ($93,220, +129%; usually a high school diploma) and Entertainment and Recreation Managers ($79,520, +95%; usually a bachelor's degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with umpires, referees, and other sports officials ($40,710). Without more preparation than umpires, referees, and other sports officials usually need: First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives, Gambling Managers and Athletes and Sports Competitors.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.