What do minor league umpires make

Imagine earning a comfortable salary, traveling across the country and getting all the hot dogs and peanuts that you care to eat. Becoming a Major League umpire offers you that opportunity, along with a front row seat to baseball in America.

There are 68 umpires working in Major League Baseball and generally, only one retires per year, so competition is fierce. In addition to graduating from umpire school, networking, and a few lucky breaks are necessary to get the call to the Major Leagues.

Major League umpires may only work six months out of a year, but during a season, they may stand in a crouched position for eighteen hours per week. Working with crews of four, Major League umpires call balls and strikes, determine foul from fair balls, and keep players and managers in line.

The umpire in chief stands at home plate and the other umpires are referred to as field umpires. The umpire in chief or crew chief is responsible for ensuring that all League rules and regulations are followed. While Major League umpires make game calls, team managers are permitted to challenge a ruling on the field.

In some cases, a protest can be officially contested with the League. The experience and seniority that comes with being an MLB umpire has its perks, too. Not only do the more seasoned umpires enjoy a larger salary, but they are the first considered for additional assignments. Not considered part of the regular season, postseason play and all-star games, including the World Series, are opportunities for umpires to keep working and make additional money.

Experienced umpires also get first pick when it comes to crew assignments, schedule choices and field positions. MLB umpires get to travel the country and experience the rich history and architecture of all 30 MLB stadiums. If you want to work as an umpire in the MLB, you'll need to follow these steps:. Related: How To Become a Referee. An aspiring MLB umpire can spend decades in the minor leagues before getting a position in the pros. Even for minor league baseball, there are only a few open positions each season, so it can time to start in an entry-level role.

Once you begin officiating minor league games, you can gain the needed experience to be an umpire at the major league level. It's important to continue learning and refining your skills as you oversee minor league games to demonstrate your readiness for the major league. To become an umpire in MLB, you'll need to meet all the following requirements:. Find jobs. Company reviews.

Find salaries. Upload your resume. Sign in. How much do umpires make in the MLB? How much do other professional umpires make? Average salary and benefits for umpires in the MLB. Fly first class. Specific dollar amounts aren't readily available, but umpires who are good enough during the regular season and tenured enough to get tabbed for postseason work will make even more money for pulling those overtime hours.

All told, it sounds like a great gig for those who are able to make it all the way to the top. However, on a per-game basis, MLB pays its arbitrators considerably less than the other big four leagues do.

Divide by the number of games in each regular season and you get:. Still, that's a mighty fine wage to travel the country while playing an integral part in our national pastime. Kerry Miller is a multisport writer for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, kerrancejames. Enjoy our content? Join our newsletter to get the latest in sports news delivered straight to your inbox!

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