So, the other day, I was watching my nephew’s Little League game, you know, just enjoying the sun and the kids having fun. And it got me thinking about the umpire back there. He was taking some heat from a couple of parents, nothing too crazy, but it made me wonder, how much does that guy actually make for doing this?
Naturally, the first thing I did when I got home was pull out my phone. I started searching around, typing things like “little league umpire pay” and then just “umpire salary”. What I found right away was that it’s not really a straightforward answer. It’s all over the map.
Digging into the Details
Okay, so here’s what I pieced together from my digging:
- Youth Leagues (like Little League): A lot of times, especially for the younger kids’ games, these folks are volunteers. Yeah, seriously. Sometimes they might get a small fee per game, maybe $20-$50, but often it’s parents or community members just helping out. Makes you appreciate them more, right?
- High School Games: This level starts to look a bit more like a paid gig. Depending on the state and the school district, I saw figures anywhere from $50 to maybe $100 per game. Still not exactly making a fortune, especially when you figure in travel and time.
- College Ball: Here’s where it jumps up a bit more noticeably. College umpires, especially for NCAA Division I games, can make a few hundred dollars per game. It’s more competitive to get these spots, and they often travel quite a bit.
- Minor Leagues (MiLB): Now we’re talking about guys working their way up, hoping for the big show. The pay here is more like a monthly salary during the season. I found ranges from maybe $2,000 to nearly $4,000 a month, depending on the level (like Single-A, Double-A, Triple-A). It’s a grind, long bus rides, not glamorous.
- Major League Baseball (MLB): This is the dream job for an umpire, obviously. And the pay reflects that. New guys starting out are apparently making something like $150,000 a year. The experienced veterans, the guys you see working the World Series? They can pull in over $400,000, maybe even $450,000. Plus, they get benefits, travel covered, the whole deal.
My Takeaway
Honestly, I was a bit surprised. I knew the MLB guys did well, but I didn’t realize just how little the pay could be at the lower levels, especially considering the grief they sometimes get. It seems like for most people doing it below the professional ranks, it’s really got to be about loving the game.
Think about it: Standing out there for hours, making split-second calls, and sometimes getting yelled at for maybe 50 bucks? You gotta have passion. It’s definitely not a get-rich-quick scheme unless you somehow make it all the way to the top, which very few do.
So, next time I’m at a game, whether it’s kids’ stuff or something bigger, I’ll probably have a bit more appreciation for the person calling balls and strikes. It’s tougher than it looks, and often, the pay doesn’t really match the hassle.
