It isn’t easy being an NFL referee. They have to make the right call in a fraction of a second without any instant replay (except on reviews), and they often draw the ire of fans.
With more attention on them than ever before, the job has never been harder. It has also led to a lot of curiosity about how much referees get paid.
What is the average salary for an NFL ref? Which referees make the most money? Do they get paid a bonus for officiating the playoffs and Super Bowl?
NFL Referee’s Average Salary
While the exact numbers aren’t public, we have a general idea of how much NFL refs make.
Using expired versions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, we know that an NFL referee’s average salary is approximately $205,000. If an official works 18 games throughout the season, this means they are paid roughly $11,400 per game.
Refs used to make closer to $150,000, but their pay has increased in recent years as the league has grown.
These numbers are collectively bargained by the NFL and NFL Referees Association, which reached a seven-year agreement on a new CBA in 2019. This CBA will expire on May 31, 2026, which is when the two sides will meet again and try to ratify a new deal.
It’s important to know that the $205,000-per-year estimate is just an average for refs, so notable head refs that we see run their crew each Sunday are making significantly more.
The compensation for each referee varies based on their experience level, specific role on the field, and other factors.
How does the payment structure work for refs? They are paid a flat fee for the season and then they receive an additional per-game payment on top of that.
For the refs who are selected to work in the NFL playoffs, they take home a nice bonus, as the per-game check for a playoff game is nearly double that of a regular-season contest.
It has been reported that the highest per-game rate for NFL refs is $1,500, but this isn’t confirmed.
Who Is the Highest-Paid NFL Referee?
The highest-paid NFL refs are reportedly Brad Allen and Craig Wrolstad. Both reportedly earn as much as $250,000 (or did at one point).
Walt Anderson, who is now retired, also reportedly earned $250,000 when he was still officiating games. Tony Corrente earned an estimated $230,000 prior to his retirement.
Veteran refs like Carl Cheffers, Bill Vinovich, and Clete Blakeman could eventually join the highest-paid tier as they continue to climb the ranks.
MORE: Simulate the NFL Season With PFN’s Playoff Predictor
Meanwhile, Sarah Thomas is the highest-paid female referee. The NFL hired its second female official, Maia Chaka, in 2021. She is also the first black woman to officiate an NFL game.
The league has since hired a third female official, Robin DeLorenzo, who previously officiated for the Big Ten. They hired a female side judge, Lo Van Pham, the first Asian-American to officiate an NFL game. The NFL has made it a point to have more representation on its officiating crews.
That said, these figures are all estimates, as neither the NFL nor NFLRA has ever publicly disclosed official numbers.
How Much Does a Ref Make in the Super Bowl?
Referees who are selected to work the postseason and Super Bowl receive a significant bonus, but this honor is reserved for the league’s best refs.
Like much of the information surrounding referee’s income, everything is based on sourced reports, but refs are reportedly paid around $3,000-$5,000 per postseason game they work. As for the Super Bowl, the bonus is reportedly around $30,000-$50,000 for calling the big game.
The other officials on the field do not earn as much as the head referees for postseason games. However, reports indicate their bonuses start at $3,000 per postseason game and increase from there.
Are NFL Referees Full-Time?
The NFL has experimented with transitioning around 20% of its referees to full-time league employees.
However, that program was shelved during the 2019 CBA discussions, and currently, there are no full-time officials on the NFL payroll. The NFL intended to resurrect the program in 2020 but decided against the decision, overhauling the officiating program in its entirety.
Referees have a dark period from the end of the season through the middle of May. During that time and over the summer, they typically focus on their other job outside of football. Some refs try to maintain a full-time job on weekdays, but the travel demands likely make that difficult.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has advocated for refs to be full-time NFL employees and get paid more, stating that these changes might improve officiating.
“I do think that it would probably help to have all of them full-time,” Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show last year. “I think [an] increase in pay probably [would] as well. It’s a really important part of our game. We’re a billion-dollar industry. I think those men and women deserve to be paid appropriately where they can make this their full-time gig.
“They got a tough job to do, to make calls in real-time, and they’re as scrutinized as the quarterbacks and kickers are, as they have one job to do and that’s to interpret the rulebook in zero time possible. I think it’s good that we have the extra official in the box to help them out with several calls [and] avoid some of these unnecessary challenges. But I think full-time, yes. More pay, definitely, yes.”
