NFL referees are estimated to make around 205,000205{,}000205,000 to 250,000250{,}000250,000 dollars per season on average, depending mainly on experience and role.

Average and range

Most recent estimates, based on past labor agreements and reporting, place the average NFL referee salary at about 205,000205{,}000205,000 dollars per year, with many experienced officials falling in the 205,000205{,}000205,000 to 250,000250{,}000250,000-dollar range. Entry‑level refs generally start closer to 100,000100{,}000100,000 to 200,000200{,}000200,000 dollars, while top veterans and crew chiefs tend to land near or above a quarter‑million per season.

Per‑game and bonuses

Using typical workloads of around 18–19 games (preseason plus regular season), that average works out to roughly 11,00011{,}00011,000 to 11,40011{,}40011,400 dollars per regular‑season game. Officials selected for playoff games can earn a few thousand dollars extra per postseason game, and working the Super Bowl can add an estimated bonus in the tens of thousands (roughly 30,00030{,}00030,000 to 50,00050{,}00050,000 dollars for the head referee).