Female NFL Referee Salary with Pictures 2023

Female NFL Referee Salary ranges from $1500 to $5000 per match. The average annual remuneration for the female referee in the NFL is $75000.

However, the exact salary figures are not publicly disclosed but are estimated based on expired collective bargaining agreements.

They suggest that the average salary for National Football League officials in the 2023 season is around $205,000. These estimates are derived from research analyzing previous College Budgeting and Accounting Systems CBA’s.

Refs earned $150,000 a few years ago, and their salaries are expected to increase slowly until the next agreement in 2026. The reported $205,000 average salary for officials includes all officials, not just head referees. 

Likewise, they receive a fixed salary for the season and extra pay for each game they officiate. They earn more for postseason games due to the higher intensity, nearly double the regular game rate.

Sarah Thomas has been reported to be the highest-paid woman official earning $250,000 per year. She was hired by the National Football League on April 8, 2015. 

How Many Female Officials In The NFL 2023?

There are three female officials in the NFL for 2023. They are Sarah Thomas, Maia Chaka, and Robin Delorenzo. Robin serves as a Down Judge.

Thomas was the first nominated women’s referee for the National Football League in 2015. She worked for the Varsity High School and had also served in a major football game that was held in 2007. She had also worked in the 2009 CFB season.

Likewise, Chaka joined the National Football League in the 2014 season. She has worked for the regular season in Pac-12 games and Senior Bowl games. 

On March 5, 2021, Chaka was promoted to an on-field official. She officiated her first game as a line judge on September 12, 2021, during the match between the Carolina Panthers and the New York Jets.

Delorenzo served as a Down judge for the first time in the National Football League in 2022. She served her debut in the games between the New York Giants and New England Patriots pre-season game. 

Meanwhile, Robin has 20 years of experience in the officiated football games. She earns more than $200,000 from her career. This earning depends on the total number of games she was engaged in and may vary from time to time.

Delorenzo was also the first woman to officiate the state championship game in the year 2009. She had also worked as a cheerleader back then before being transitioned to officiate football. 

Sarah Thomas

Sarah Thomas is a groundbreaking NFL official who made history as the first female league referee in 2015. She was the first Female officiate for Super Bowl 2021. 

Thomas began her officiating journey in high school in 1996 and then progressed to college football. She was one of five women officials and the only one in the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2009.

She served in 11 games there and was chosen for the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, making her the first woman to officiate a bowl game. Despite being a woman ref, she faced no significant challenges to officiate in a Big Ten match in the 2011 season.

After starting her career in 2015, she served different games there and was promoted to a Down Judge in 2017. She worked in that role for the whole 2020 season and achieved another historic milestone by officiating in Super Bowl 55.

Sarah’s Remarkable Career History and her first-time achievements as a woman are:

  • Officiating a College Football game in 2007.
  • Bowl game in 2009.
  • Full-time Lady official in National Football League history in 2015.
  • Field assignee for the Playoff game in 2021.

Who Is The Highest Paid NFL Official?

Highest-paid Officials in the NFL include Walt Anderson, Craig Wrolstad, and Sarah Thomas. They made $250,000 in their professional career.

Walt Anderson, an official since 1996, officiated 17 playoff games, including two Super Bowls. His career highlights include controversial games like the deflate-gate incident in the 2015 AFC Championship.

He retired in 2019 after refereeing the NFC Divisional Playoff game between Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers. He was then promoted to a senior vice president role in the front office.

NFL official salaries are estimated at around $205,000 for the 2023 season, with potential increases based on experience and roles. The highest reported per-game salary is $1,500. 

Tony Corrente made around $230,000 before his retirement from the National Football League.

Meanwhile, the highest-paid female line judge is Thomas. The franchise hired more women and minority officials for increased representation

Maia Chaka

Maia Chaka serves as an on-field official in the NFL. She is the League’s third female officer after Shannon Eastin and Sarah Thomas. 

Chaka’s officiating career started in 2007 with high school football games in Virginia. By 2009, she officiated the Virginia State High School Championship Game.

She worked regular season Pac-12 games from 2018 and also served in NCAA Division I women’s basketball starting in 2019. In the 2020-2021 Pac-12 season, she served as the head linesman and refeered the 2021 Senior Bowl. 

Chaka’s promotion as an on-field official came on March 5, 2021. Her debut National Football League game as a line judge was on September 12, 2021, during the Carolina Panthers vs. New York Jets match.

Apart from her officiating career, Chaka founded G.E.M.S. (Girls with Empowering Minds and Spirits) in 2008. It is a club aimed at promoting self-esteem, academic achievement, and educational encouragement.

In 2021, after 15 years at Renaissance Academy, she became the Student Success Coordinator at An Achievable Dream Academy in Virginia Beach. Additionally, Chaka founded the nonprofit organization Make Meaningful Change (MMC) in 2021.

Chaka’s Career Awards And Achievements:

  • In 2023, she received an Elliot Cushing Awards
  • In 2021, she gained the Orange Blossom Classic Breaking Barriers Award.
  • in 2021 she was recognized as ABC World News Person of the Week.
  • In 2019 she was able to achieve, the Men for Hope Trailblazer Award
  • In 2019, she received the Virginia Beach Public Schools I Make a Difference Award
  • In 2014 awarded as Virginia Beach Public Schools Teacher of the Year Award 
  • She was nominated for the Virginia Beach Public Schools I Make a Difference Award in the same year.

Robin Delorenzo

Robin Delorenzo started her NFL career in 2022 as a third female official. She debuted as a down judge in the game between the Giants and Patriots. 

DeLorenzo started officiating high school football in New Jersey in 2009. She also became the first woman to officiate a state championship game, marking a historic achievement.

In 2021, she received the call to the NFL, becoming one of only 124 officials worldwide. Robin’s dedication and resilience led her to achieve this milestone, making her the most motivational woman in history.

Robin earns over $200,000, and her income varies depending on the matches she officiates. Her net worth in 2023 is estimated to be $5 million.

How Much Money Does a Super Bowl Referee Make?

For a Super Bowl match, an estimated amount earned by a referee can be different. It is estimated that they may receive around $50,000. 

The average salary of a Lineman may vary according to the games they are engaged in. They receive a flat fee for the season, supplemented by additional per-game payments.

Moreover, if they get selected for the postseason games, refs earn higher pay. This can vary around $3,000-5,000 per postseason game. 

Despite this information, the National Football League and NFLRA have not disclosed official salary details publicly.

Shannon Eastin

Shannon Eastin made history as the first female official in the National Football League. She served a total of 16 seasons in different leagues like the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference and College games.

In 2012, during a lockout of full-time referees, Eastin was hired as a replacement official. She officiated her first game on August 9 in a preseason match between the Green Bay Packers and the San Diego Chargers.

Her inaugural regular-season game occurred on September 9, 2012, between the Detroit Lions and the St. Louis Rams. She also got some criticism for her role in the NFL.

Her net worth has been estimated to be more than $5 million. Outside of football, Eastin excels in judo and has trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center from a young age, winning six national judo championships.

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