Enforcing the rules and running the show: referees, umpires, replay officials, mascots, and game-day crews.
Top pay: highest pay, longest training
NFL Game Official: Officiates professional football games in the NFL. Typical pay $250k.
MLB Umpire: Calls balls, strikes, and plays in Major League Baseball games. Typical pay $250k.
NBA Referee: Officiates professional basketball games in the NBA. Typical pay $350k.
NHL Referee: Referees NHL hockey games, skating with the play to call penalties, enforce the rules and break up fights, and travels most of the season. Typical pay $250k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
College Basketball Referee: Officiates college basketball games, often traveling to several games a week. Typical pay $70k.
Professional Soccer Referee: Officiates professional soccer matches in MLS and other pro leagues. Typical pay $70k.
Tournament Director: Plans and runs pro or amateur sports tournaments for tours, sports commissions or event companies, from booking venues to scheduling matches. Typical pay $80k.
Mascot Performer: Performs as a team's costumed mascot at games, community events, and on social media. Typical pay $45k.
Doping Control Officer: Collects urine and blood samples from athletes to test for banned drugs. Typical pay $50k.
High School Sports Official: Referees and umpires high school and youth games in sports like basketball, football and baseball, usually part-time on evenings and weekends. Typical pay $38k.
Official Scorer: Keeps the official score and statistics at games for pro teams, colleges or leagues, and in baseball decides whether plays are hits or errors. Typical pay $30k.
In-Game Host: Hosts promotions, contests, and crowd games on the video board and court during breaks. Typical pay $38k.
Stadium Usher and Event Staff: Helps fans find seats, scans tickets, and keeps sections safe at games and events. Typical pay $30k.
Football Chain Crew Member: Holds the chains and down markers on the sideline during football games. Typical pay $8k.
Tennis Chair Umpire & Line Judge: Works tennis matches as a chair umpire or line judge for the USTA and pro tours, calling the score and lines and enforcing the rules. Typical pay $35k.
Gymnastics & Figure Skating Judge: Scores gymnastics or figure skating routines for difficulty and execution at meets and competitions, from youth events up to college and elite levels. Typical pay $20k.
Track & Swim Meet Official: Starts races and judges false starts, strokes and finishes at track and swim meets for schools, clubs and national events. Typical pay $15k.
Ball Kid & Batboy: Retrieves balls, bats and equipment during pro baseball games or tennis tournaments, working part-time right on the field or court. Typical pay $18k.
Race Timing Technician: Sets up and runs chip-timing systems at marathons, triathlons and other races for timing companies, then posts official results online. Typical pay $40k.
Rodeo Judge: Scores bull riding, bronc riding, and roping at rodeos, judging both the rider and the animal, and enforcing safety and timing rules. Typical pay $30k.
Surf Contest Judge: Scores surfers' waves at competitions from 0 to 10, judging speed, power, and difficulty, from a tower overlooking the beach. Typical pay $25k.
Road Race Course Measurer: Measures 5K, 10K, and marathon courses with a calibrated bike wheel counter so race distances are exact and records count. Typical pay $12k.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.