how much does a nfl referee make

The average salary for an NFL referee in 2025 is approximately between $205,000 and $270,000 per year. The higher end of this range, around $250,000 to $270,000, generally reflects experienced referees or the head referees (crew chiefs). Referees typically work about 19 games per season (including preseason), with an average game payment of about $10,800 to $12,000. Postseason games are paid separately, and referees assigned to the Super Bowl can earn an additional bonus ranging from $30,000 to $50,000 on top of their regular payments. Most NFL referees are part-time workers and may have other jobs outside the football season.