Volleyball referees, like other sports officials, tend to have low salaries. As of 2011, the average compensation was less than $30,000. They can work in a variety of settings to line up games to officiate through the year.

Typical Rates

Perhaps the most authoritative source for salary and wage data, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, includes volleyball referees in its general "Umpires, Referees and Other Sports Officials" group. The bureau says workers in this category averaged $28,900 per year.

Range

The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that those in the lowest 10th percentile in the "Umpires, Referees and Other Sports Officials" category made $16,310 in May, 2010. In the 25th percentile, pay was $18,180, while the median was $22,840. Referees such as those who officiate volleyball made $34,100 in the 75th percentile and $50,350 in the 90th percentile.

Pay by Area

Pay for volleyball and other referees varies across the country. In the top-paying area of Michigan, pay was $59,470 a year in May, 2010. Pennsylvania paid $43,510, Vermont $42,100. New York $41,900 and Oklahoma $41,770. The lowest rates in May, 2010 were in Georgia, where pay averaged $16,190. Other low-paying states were South Carolina ($17,950), Tennessee ($20,070), Kentucky ($20,750) and Alabama ($20,900).

Per Match Pay

The pay can vary wildly most referees are paid by the matches they work, and most will work multiple times a week. In 2009, the Professional Association of Volleyball Officials conducted a survey of pay among high school referees and different levels of college volleyball. On the high school level, the average pay was $101 to $125 for referees working both the varsity and junior varsity matches. On the junior college and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic levels, the majority of conferences paid $81 to $100 per match. The Division 1 National Collegiate Athletic Association conferences paid an average of $150 match, though one conference paid its referees more than $250 per match. Six conferences also paid referees for mileage, and three provided a per diem to cover a hotel, a rental car, and food.