NFL Referee Salary: How much do NFL referees make for Super Bowl? (2024)

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NFL Referee Salary: How much do NFL referees make for Super Bowl? ›

Money.com reports that in some cases, a couple of NFL referees earning up an average of $114,000 approximately for working with the NFL. For the Super Bowl, every referee will get a bonus and their salary can rage from $54,428 up to a maximum amount of $462,622.

Like the players participating in the big game, there is extra money given to the referees. Money.com estimates that modern Super Bowl bonuses for NFL referees are between $30,000 and $50,000. Not a bad gig if you can get it.

Referees in Spain's top flight are the best paid on average but officials in England have the potential to earn the highest annual salary. In La Liga, referees command a fixed £124,256 ($157,115) salary and receive an additional £4,205 match fee, or £2,102 per game if they are the VAR referee.

Division I (FBS): Referees in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), which includes the major conferences like the SEC, Big Ten, and ACC, can earn between $2,000 and $3,000 per game. For a full season, which typically includes around 12 games, a referee can earn between $24,000 and $36,000.

Do Officials Get A Super Bowl Ring? Yes. "I don't wear them that much anymore," said Green, who has three, "but I do keep them in a safe place.

For the Super Bowl, every referee will get a bonus and their salary can rage from $54,428 up to a maximum amount of $462,622. Finally, in one of the most recent negotiations, referees managed to get around $18,000 a year deposited into their pension fund, which far exceeds many other professionals in the United States.

Last season, there were 10 departures. The average NFL referee salary has crossed $200,000 annually, according to Money.com. Still, most referees continue to rely on other occupations. Many of them are bankers, teachers or tax managers, but quite a few of them have some more interesting occupations outside of football.

Click on each highlighted position for a breakdown of that position's highest paid players for the 2024 season. The Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow is the highest paid player in the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers' Nick Bosa is the highest paid defensive player in the league.

How much does a college ref get paid? ›

College referees are estimated to average between $2,500 and $3,000 per game. The pay for referees is variable and is influenced by state, conference, and experience. While the referees of the biggest games in the sport also get paid more.

Considering the average NFL referee salary is $205,000 and there are 17 rounds per regular season, that means, on average, refs are earning about $12,000 per game. However, not every ref will adjudicate every round, so these numbers are still an estimation.

NFL waterboys actually make a fairly decent salary. Typically speaking individuals earn around $35,000 per year. Those who have been in the game for an extended period of time, however, can earn significantly more, with some even reported to be starting well above $50,000.

Brad Allen is the highest-paid NFL referee in 2023. He is paid an average of $250,000 annually. Since 2014, Allen has refereed NFL games, including the Super Bowl. Carl Cheffers, Tony Corrente and Craig Wrolstad: $225,000 each.

The exact figures can vary, but the compensation package includes benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and game tickets. Below the professional level, college football referees officiate NCAA games across various divisions.

The latest collective bargaining agreement between the NFL Players Association and the NFL dictates that each member of the winning team will receive $164,000, a $7,000 bump over last year's total. Winners of the 2025 Super Bowl will receive $171,000.

LAS VEGAS — Usher is one of the most celebrated R&B artists in the world, with a just-released album and an upcoming national tour. And he performed at the Super Bowl for basically free. That's right, for free. That's because the Super Bowl performers don't really get paid by the NFL to perform.

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