Prevailing Wage for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials
Prevailing wage for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials is set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, giving international candidates on H-1B, E-3, or green card pathways a measurable floor to evaluate any offer. Whether you work as a Basketball Referee, Diving Judge, or Football Referee, DOL defines four experience levels and the floor shifts considerably by city.
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Entry-level officials with limited experience in a structured officiating environment, typically newer to sanctioned competition, performing routine assignments under direct supervision, and not yet expected to handle high-stakes or complex game situations independently.
Qualified officials with moderate experience officiating sanctioned events at a consistent level. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials, reflecting a well-established record of rule application and independent judgment in competitive settings.
Experienced officials who regularly handle complex or high-profile assignments with minimal oversight. These professionals bring a track record across multiple competition levels and may mentor newer officials or be assigned to regional or national-tier events.
Fully competent officials operating at the top of their certification tier, routinely assigned to high-stakes or elite-level competitions. These professionals exercise independent authority, contribute to rule interpretation, and often hold senior certification or league-level standing.
Prevailing Wage for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for this role and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your league tier before selecting a level
Sports officiating wages are tightly tied to competition tier. An official working minor-league or collegiate events typically files at L2, while one assigned to major professional leagues may warrant L3 or L4. Mismatching tier to level is a common LCA error for this occupation.
Watch for per-game pay structures on visa filings
Many officiating contracts pay per game or per event, not a fixed annual salary. For LCA purposes, DOL requires the annualized equivalent to meet the prevailing wage floor, so per-game rates must be converted and verified against the applicable level before filing.
Factor in geographic variation for California and Louisiana metros
Top-paying metros for sports officials, including several California markets and Baton Rouge, pay significantly more than low-paying metros like Ogden or Dayton. If your assignment city differs from the employer's headquarters, the worksite location controls the prevailing wage on the LCA, not the office address.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers sponsoring officials
Migrate Mate shows which organizations have historically sponsored visa positions for sports officiating roles, so you can focus outreach on leagues, athletic associations, and event management companies with an actual H-1B or E-3 filing record rather than guessing at sponsorship willingness.
Jobs for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 27-2023.00 alongside Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Basketball Referee Prevailing Wage
Basketball Referee Prevailing Wage
Basketball Referee positions fall under SOC 27-2023.00 (Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Diving Judge Prevailing Wage
Diving Judge Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Diving Judge for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2023.00 (Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Dressage Judge Prevailing Wage
Dressage Judge Prevailing Wage
Dressage Judge is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2023.00 (Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Football Referee Prevailing Wage
Football Referee Prevailing Wage
Football Referee positions fall under SOC 27-2023.00 (Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Horse Show Judge Prevailing Wage
Horse Show Judge Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Horse Show Judge for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2023.00 (Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Major League Baseball Umpire (MLB Umpire) Prevailing Wage
Major League Baseball Umpire (MLB Umpire) Prevailing Wage
Major League Baseball Umpire (MLB Umpire) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2023.00 (Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Referee Prevailing Wage
Referee Prevailing Wage
Referee positions fall under SOC 27-2023.00 (Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Soccer Referee Prevailing Wage
Soccer Referee Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Soccer Referee for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2023.00 (Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Softball Umpire Prevailing Wage
Softball Umpire Prevailing Wage
Softball Umpire is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2023.00 (Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Sports Official Prevailing Wage
Sports Official Prevailing Wage
Sports Official positions fall under SOC 27-2023.00 (Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For this occupation under SOC 27-2023, DOL surveys employer-reported wages across metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas, then sets four wage levels based on statistical percentiles. Employers sponsoring a foreign national must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite area.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
OFLC defines the four levels by experience and complexity. Level 1 covers entry-level officials under close supervision. Level 2 reflects qualified officials working independently in routine assignments. Level 3 applies to experienced officials handling complex or high-profile events. Level 4 covers fully competent officials at the top of their certification tier. Your employer selects the level based on the actual duties and experience the position requires, not your personal background alone.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same officiating role vary so much by city?
DOL uses regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so wage floors reflect what employers in each metro area actually pay for the occupation. Markets with major professional leagues or dense employer competition, like San Francisco or Sacramento, produce higher survey averages than smaller metros such as Ogden or Dayton. The LCA must list the actual worksite city, and that city's wage applies, even if the employer's main office is elsewhere.
What happens if a sponsored position offers less than the prevailing wage?
An offer below the applicable prevailing wage level will fail DOL certification. The employer cannot obtain a certified LCA, which means USCIS will deny the H-1B petition or the consulate cannot issue the visa. If a deficiency surfaces after filing, USCIS may issue a Request for Evidence or denial. Employers must also post the LCA at the worksite and pay the certified wage for the duration of the sponsored employment.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location for this occupation?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website to look up current prevailing wages by SOC code 27-2023 and metropolitan area. Select the metro that matches your actual worksite, choose the correct fiscal year, and compare all four wage levels against your offer. For identifying which employers have sponsored sports officiating roles before starting your search, Migrate Mate filters job listings by visa type and shows each employer's historical sponsorship record.
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