Pay Rates for High School Baseball Umpires
 

I was wondering what the pay rates for high school baseball games are around the country. Here in northern Illinois we are getting $56 for a 2 man varsity, $53 for a one man under level, $98 for a 2 man varsity double header, and $93 for a single man under level double header.

Here in Ct, HS Var 2 man is $73.42, 1 umpire is 110.13. Double headers are 2 fees.

This was the rate last year. I believe it is going up to 74 and change this season.

Here ya go:
 

In Oregon for 2007:

6A-5A-4A Varsity Fee $48.00
6A-5A-4A Sub Varsity Fee $36.00
3A-2A-1A Varsity Fee $43.25
3A-2A-1A Sub Varsity Fee $32.50

Two officials are required at the varsity level.
One umpire may be used in an emergency situation only.
Sub-Varsity: Two officials should be assigned but one official may be assigned at a rate of 1-1/3rd the “per official fee” rounded up to nearest $ .50 cents.

Mileage is paid from a predetermined start point round trip at .35 per mile.

All games 7 innings and there is no discount for doubleheaders.

State Championship Sub rounds pay $53.00
State Championship Final Game pays $58.00

These games also pay mileage (overnight accomodations for State Championship Game Umpires).

One Rule ~ One Interpretation ~ One Mechanic

The rates vary wildly in the southern Illinois area.

3 different schools pay $55, one pays $50, a whole bunch pay $40 and some smaller schools pay on $37.50.


All of these are for two man crews....no 3 man crews here until the Supersectionals.

I would have thought Oregon would be far higher, it looks like us here in the Cleveland area are somewhat "competetive"

Varsity - $46
JV - $32
JV (solo) - $46
Freshman - $28
Freshman (solo) - $41

Summer time:
14U & Under Travel (2 man) - $40
15U & Above - $50

We do not get any mileage, except for state tournament games. I believe sectional game fees are around $50, districts around $60-70, and im sure regional & semi-final & final games over $100.

NC single varsity game =$60. In 2008 it goes to $65.

In our area of SC we get $65.00 for Varsity 1A-4A
$55.00 for JV & $50.00 for Middle School, flat rate no travel

Here in my part of PA, the pay amount varies by school and area. On average, varsity is 50-55, JV is 40-45 below JV is slightly lower.

In the summer, our association sets a $45 flat rate for all games except for men's over 30, which we get 50 since they play 9 innings.


There is no travel/mileage fee in either.

Central Kentucky Game Fees
 

We have a pretty good deal in our association and the two regions we call. $60 for first 7 inning game or single game and $50 for 2d game of DH. No mileage but higher game fees than most of the state. Same rate whether varsity or junior varsity/freshmen. Of course one of the two regions we call has had a team in the state championship game the last 6 years in a row and won five of them. The quality of baseball, even at the JV level, is great and the fans really know their stuff. Thus, the coaches, players and fans expect A LOT from their umpires. Top notch appearance, rules knowledge, hustle and mechanics are a must. Not much room for error or sloppy umpiring. I only have met two guys in our association I could think might be called a Smitty or a Charlie and they only call JV ball. I call other places in the summer and nothing comes close around here to the high school ball in the spring.

In Massachusetts, it's $70 for varsity, $49 for JV. One umpire games are fee-and-a-half. No mileage. Games played under OBR-based rules.

In Knoxville, TN...

Varsity is $60 for a single game (going to $65 next year), and $90 for a double header (going to $95 next year).

JV is $45 for 2-man, $50 for single...each goes up $5 next year.

Summer ball, depending on time limit is anywhere from $30-$45/game. We're not getting rich, but it's good extra spending money.

Luke

These are 2006 prices. The new prices have not been released. This is basically Southern CT.


<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>High School</TD><TD>Varsity</TD><TD><CENTER>75.67</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><!-- Row 2 --><TD> </TD><TD>Sub-Varsity</TD><TD><CENTER>49.17</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><!-- Row 3 --><TD> </TD><TD>Playdown and Quarter-Finals</TD><TD><CENTER>84.19</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><!-- Row 4 --><TD> </TD><TD>Semi-Finals</TD><TD><CENTER>88.98</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><!-- Row 5 --><TD> </TD><TD>Finals</TD><TD><CENTER>100.84</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><!-- Row 6 --><TD> </TD><TD>League/Conference Playoffs</TD><TD><CENTER>84.19</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD> </TR><TR><!-- Row 7 --><TD>Prep and Private Schools</TD><TD>Varsity (9 inning)</TD><TD><CENTER>88.00</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><!-- Row 8 --><TD> </TD><TD>Varsity (7 inning)</TD><TD><CENTER>77.00</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><!-- Row 9 --><TD> </TD><TD>Sub-Varsity</TD><TD><CENTER>52.00</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><!-- Row 10 --><TD> </TD><TD>League/Conference Playoffs</TD><TD><CENTER>88.00</CENTER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

In NH, our 2007 fees for baseball are $74 for V, and $54 for sub-varsity. These numbers are also for any NHIAA sanctioned sport, from football to volleyball.

We get a fee and a half for 1 umpire, and 2 fees for a double header

I don't have any data on playoff fees, those are not normally released till later on in the season

oh yes, playoffs are not priced any higher than normal games (to my knowledge)

Dallas chapter of TASO:

$54 to $58, depending on school's distance from a predetermined point. The base fee is $40.

Varsity or sub-varsity, one man or two, makes no difference.

Long Island Fees
 

In Suffolk County, NY on Long Island:

Varsity: $104 each ump (2 umps)
JV: $ 85 each
JrH: $67.50
Fee and half for one ump. No travel fee.

Travel (Spring,Summer, and Fall): $45-$70 per ump per game depending on the age and league.

Ed H

Yes, there are a couple of towns in the hinterlands that we get extra travel for, but the vast majority of schools are within that $14 to $18 travel range.

I need to move to Long Island!

Hey Dave, I am actually moving from Knoxville, TN to Dallas, TX in August to attend Dallas Theological Seminary. My wife will be working but won't make that much, and we will need some extra cash for rent, tuition, gas, etc. I was planning on umpiring baseball and refereeing basketball (Not constantly since my studies will take up most of my time, but 5-12 games a week or something like that) to help with a little extra cash so it wouldn't be so tight on us and so I won't have to get some crappy 15-20 hr/wk. job making $8/hr.

Could you maybe email me and give me some more information on officiating there? Are $54-$58 the normal fees for all of Dallas high school baseball? What about summer, fall, small colleges, etc.? Also, some assignors names and numbers for both sports would be nice too. Thanks a lot man.

Luke ([email protected])

Central SC
 

Central South Carolina:

Varsity games are a flat fee (no mileage):

The flat fee ranges from $45 to $60. It depends on the school's distance from Columbia, SC. If you umpire at a high school in Columbia it is $45. If you umpire at the schools most distant from Columbia (that are served by our association) its $60.

EACH game is worth that flat fee. That is if you work a double-header, you get two FULL game fees. There is no second game discount.

Central New Mexico Fees
 

Looks like were in the middle to low end
Varsity 48
JV 30
Lower 25

There has been some discussion on raising rates and time limits on those middle school games. Mileage is paid for travel outside the city

wow. I don't know what high school rates are for ohio, but i make $30 a game doing machine pitch baseball. I also make $45 just for U12 travel baseball. And there is no tavel involved since the complex is in my backyard. Varsity baseball must be outrageous here.

"Varsity baseball must be outrageous here."

I wouldn't mind if they were a little bit more outrageous!

The Ohio central district pay rates compare with what others have posted for nearby midwestern states and other Ohio regions. I suspect that is as much due to the economics of the region rather than any issues of umpire availability or competence.

Generally, things cost more on the left and right coasts. The cost for sports officials there reflects that.

Compensation varies depending on which school district or league you're dealing with. We have a dozen different school districts in our area. Columbus city schools proper offer the lowest pay, while the suburban and private schools offer a bit more.

Here are high and low 2006 rates (I haven't yet seen the 2007 rate schedule):

(Low end) Columbus City League: $40 varsity (two man), $30 for JV and Middle School games, which are all one man.

(High end) OCC League (Pickerington, Gahanna, Reynoldsburg, etc.): $48 varsity, $39 JV, Freshmen and Middle School $35 (all of these are two man games).

All of the other leagues fall within this range, with most being closer to the high-end.

Upstate SC
 

Varsity and JV pay the same rate:

$62 for plate
$55 for bases

All games are two-man crews. Playoffs are three-man crews, occasionally four-man crews, at least in my region.

DH means two FULL game fees. Playoffs are higher, about $5-$10 higher per round.

Upstate SC
 

We get 60 for the plate and 55 for the bases varsity. I don't know what a JV game pays.

Clint Lawson
South Carolina

SW Kansas
 

Varsity baseball is 9.9/10 DH...

85-95/DH +.35/mi. Most every umpire has to travel out here, where baseball is few and far between.

Louisiana....

State determined fees (see http://www.lhsaa.org/sports/baseball...allby-laws.pdf)

Varsity game is $65 to be split among the 2 umpires (usually plate gets $35 and base gets $30). If a third umpire is used, that ump gets $30.

Each official gets $5 more for playoffs.

Mileage is to be negotiated between the official's association and the school.

Not bad, but why is the base umpire worth $7 less?

I don't do this for the money, although I wouldn't do it for free. But I wouldn't work for peanuts either.

Ya'll don't get paid enough!

I make $30 for a friggen machine pitch game. And i make $45 for doing a U9 travel baseball game. I can't imagine doing a varsity game for next to nothing. I hope that works out for you though. That is something I would never do.

an association who accepts less payment for the bases is absurd. implying that plate versus base makes a difference in a two man blows major goats...this is bad IMO for a couple reasons...1. younger umpires might not get a chance to learn the plate due to certain money hungry experienced umpires. 2. to determine that one job on the field is more/less important than the other is just plain wrong...

the varisty games are probably easier than your U9 games. typically the higher the level of game, the "easier" they are to work...

Yeah, that's why we start all our beginning umpires at D-1 and let them work their way up to LL.

I knew you would disagree with this. As soon as I read it, I wondered how long until Garth chimed in.:cool:

Pay difference plate vs. base
 

Getting back on topic, and to address Rich's question about the pay difference, I can't say I've honestly ever heard a reason for the difference. I'm in my 5th year of HS ball, and it's been that way since I've been in this region, and I think all of SC is that way as well. Nobody seems to mind or complain, to my knowledge. My guess is it came about in SC mainly due to the fact you are the UIC and have to wear the gear for the game. But, it is an interesting question, and I'm inclined to try to find the answer. I'm not going to dispute that both umpires are equally crucial to a successfully called game - they are. In all other ball in this area, the rate is the same for either plate or bases, so that also adds evidence to the fact the difference is probably directed by the SC High School League.

In my region, at least, most schedules are pretty balanced - that is, you'll typically get an equal number of plate games and base games, so it tends to balance out, which is probably why nobody minds the difference. Now, I do now some guys who are excellent plate men who tend to do more plate games, but mainly as a result of their skill, not demanding more plate time for the extra bucks. Honestly, the more experienced guys in my association tend to not want to do the plate games to avoid the wear and tear on the knees.

In my association the assignor assigns umpires to their position and the more experienced umpires are generally assigned the plate. If I am assigned bases with someone I know to be less experienced I say nothing to the assignor if he does an average job, but if he does a superior job I will tell my assignor. It don't happen in a conference game between two good teams. And the guys with more experience might say they don't care, but deep down they really want the plate. Unless you are recovering from an appendectomy, who doesn't? Pay is the same.

Nassau County, New York
 

These are the 2-man rates for Nassau County in New York (Long Island):

Game Fee Schedule 2006/2007:
Varsity: $107.12
JV: $86.52
JHS: $77.25
LATE FEES:
Varsity: $26.78
JV: $21.63
JHS: $19.31

Fee and a half for one-man games.
7 innings, JHS has a 2 hour time limit.

What is a LATE FEE?

If they're paying $107 a game they probably expect punctuality.
The late fee is the penalty for being a Smitty.
Not a bad idea!!

We get that for softball also in NY -

Late Fee- when the game starts over 30 min past scheduled time due to visiting team arriving late, etc...We are SUPPOSED to give the teams 15 min to warm up - so if a team arrives at 3:46 for a 4 pm game, we get the late fee!


Looking at some of those game fees, it is no wonder some areas are having trouble getting officials!

by the way in our area of NY (mid Hudson Valley)for softball we get -

$53 for what NY calls 'modified' - 7th and 8th grade

$62 for JV

$72 for varsity

during our last regional contract negotiations, the baseball umps, who have under Title IX always received the same fees as every other sports official, regardless of gender or sport, gummed up the works by filing for arbitration over wanting more!

Are you kidding?
 

$107 for a 7 inning HS game and an extra $30 if they start the game even 1 second late? Juco in CA is $115 and DI is $170-$225 for 9 inning games. I motion that who ever negotiates for you needs to go to work for every other organization in the country. From the sounds of it the MiLB guys would be making 6 figures this year if your guys worked for them.

Garth...you know my point. Overall, it's much "easier" to work a game where both pitchers are throwing strikes, defenses are making plays, and hitters are swinging the bats. You can't disagree with that...that's my only point. There's nothing more mentally tough then working the dish for a game where both pitchers suck, hitters aren't swinging, and defenses are giving offenses 8outs an inning. that's my point.

No, I didn't know your point. I only knew what you wrote, which was far different from your current post.

In your original post on this subject you weren't comparing better players or better teams within the same level. You compared Varsity with U9 and stated the higher the "level" the easier they are to work.

This is simply not true. If it were, LLDan would be a MiLB umpire.

I do agree that for umpires trained for and experienced in any certain level, the higher quality players and teams, WITHIN that level, are far more enjoyable to work and create less stress. But if you put an umpire experienced only at the U9 level in a Varsity game, you'd have one hell of sh!t house.

Not all associations assign base / plate responsibilities. They leave it up to the umpiring crew with seniority being the "trump card".

Therefore, you had a very inequitable plate / base schedule. If you were a first year Varisty Official, you would have something like 15-20 plates in a row.

The vets would take the plate come playoff time because that's where you "earn your stripes" but would do the bases almost the entire regular season yet earn the same pay.

With the aforementioned inequities, some associations then decided to give a pay differential so that one person would not do the plate the entire season.

I do not advocate it but I understand it. In my association you get a mixture of plate / base responsibilities during the season.

Pete Booth

I still don't understand it Pete. First, I don't know of veteran who wouldn't prefer the plate. Second, a BU can screw up a game just as much, and according to some D-1 coaches I know, even more than a PU. The grass is where the snakes hide.

I know of no justifiable reason to pay BU's less than PU's.

While I am sure that inequities occur and in some places they may even rule the day, the JC and HS groups that I have been fortunate enough to be apart of operate under the rule that the officials decide who works where, we teach the younger officials in class that it is best to alternate plate/base with let’s say George, every time you work with him, just flop what you did last time. Occasionally, you or your partner will want to work the plate/base for a specific reason and that is okay. The system works for us.

I agree with Garth, there is no reason to pay the plate umpire more than the base guy.

Here is how we do things here:

When working with a partner who you've never worked with before, the senior official (not the oldest, but the one with more years in the association) has the choice of plate or bases.

The next time you work with this same official, you alternate plate/base.

Pretty simple. Payment doesn't enter in to the scenario, so there is no hogging the plate.

I know some guys who keep very accurate records of who's turn it is, some dating back years. I've said, "your turn, right?" only to hear, "nope, remember 4 years ago up there at..."

Same way around here. It works well. The big dogs dont need to be policed or told what to do. The plate dodgers who show up 10 minutes before game time...well thats another story. Any recommendations on those people?

Fortunately for us, the association is very swift in hauling people like that before the Board. People who show up just before game time to avoid plate duty would be dealt with severely, as in suspended or expelled from the group.

What do you do with the guy that shows up 10 minutes before the scheduled start time wearing plate pants and ball bags thinking he's on the stick for the game?



Tim.

We don't have that problem here normally, because we are required to contact our partner the night before the contest, in order to discuss who has what, what uniform we will be wearing, where to park, what kind of vehicle to look for, game time, what time we will meet for pregame conference, etc.

We have a policy to arrive 30 minutes prior to games. If possible, I arrive 45 minutes to an hour before game time, but some guys are coming straight from their work, and they get a little wiggle room for traffic. We are to walk on the field no later than 10 minutes prior to game time.

I did have a guy show up late with his gear on when I was dressed and scheduled to work the plate. I made the guy take his stuff off and work the bases like he was supposed to.

Hmmm,
 

In my area (this kills Mr. Fronheiser) we are assigned a specfic task at a game. You are assigned specifically the plate or the bases. That is the assignment.

There have been times when an umpire is held up in traffic and the roles have been switched.

While there is no penalty for partners to select to switch, our assignor frowns on it.

One Rule ~ One Interpretation ~ One Mechanic

Never happens. We contact our partners prior to the game and discuss who has what, meeting place, time, etc.

"Surprise is the umpire's worst enemy" off the field as well. Why would anyone invite it?

In Dallas we follow the above described procedure precisely.

It doesn't kill me, actually. It may surprise you to know this, but in the adult league I assign we DO assign positions for the playoffs because I use some guys who I wouldn't want on the plate in a nutcutter. During the regular season I couldn't be bothered with this level of detail.

I work 95% of my games with the same 4 umpires. All of us work the plate well and all of us work the bases well. It's usually a "whose turn is it" relationship with us. And most of my college games (2-person) are doubleheaders, so we each get one on the stick.

You must work for cheap conferences.

All college ball here, whether D-1, D-iii or JUCO use three man mechanics.

It's the area of the country. There is actually D-I nonconference ball in the Midwest worked with 2 umpires.

I don't have a scheduled 3-man date until a D-III conference tourney second week in May.

Garth:
 

Timing is everything:

In our area we are now separating the D3, D2 and D1 (non-league games) into an association of its own and all will be three-man.

Community College, wood bat, will probably be two man forever.

Regards,

Surviving a Charles rant is a rite of passage in our world.