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MLB Umpire Salary and How Much They Really Make

· May 14 - 4 minutes read

We’re living in an interesting time in Major League Baseball, with the potential of robots one day replacing MLB umpires. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has not been shy about making changes that might rattle the cages of baseball purists. However, he went on the record in 2024 saying that robots won’t soon replace MLB umpires.

Life as an umpire is not easy. Players, managers, and most of all, fans will surely remember one costly missed call. Add in social media accounts grading each umpire’s performance, and they are under constant observation.

MLB Umpire Salary and How Much They Really Make — A glove lays on the infield | John McCoy/Getty Images/AFP

The MLB umpire salaries can make the years of hard work and the daily abuse they receive worth it.

Some savvy bettors might use the umpires’ track records when evaluating the best MLB parlays today.

Look At MLB Umpires’ Salaries

MLB Umpiring Salaries Are Improving

It isn’t easy to break into the fraternity of MLB umpires. With a union in place, once an umpire gets a gig at the MLB level, they are pretty much there to stay.

It’s difficult to compare the annual salaries of MLB umpires to officials of other major North American sports. Each MLB team plays 162 games during the regular season. The NFL has a 17-game schedule. The NBA and the NHL have schedules in the 80s.

With so many games, there is a chance to keep up on MLB moneyline trends.

When looking at average MLB umpire salaries, MLB umpires make more money than officials in the NFL and NHL. Regarding the average pay per game, MLB umpires earn between $1500 and $2000 per game. That pales in comparison to the other sports.

How Long Before Robots Replace MLB Umpires?

There have been calls for robot umpires in recent years. This movement has not been led by MLB umpires’ missed calls but by the lack of accountability for umpires with a quick hook.

Exhibit A was New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone being thrown out of a game for a comment made by a fan sitting not far from the Yankees’ dugout in a 2024 game. Boone annually gets run as often as any MLB manager, and that could have played a role in the regrettable call. That didn’t help slow the call for robot umpires.

Another issue is that a crew will remain for an entire series. If there are issues with calls in the series opener, that can make for some uncomfortable vibes as the series moves along. Umpiring in the smallest MLB stadium to hit a home run can also mean that irate fans are that much closer to the umpires.

Players and managers who receive suspensions for criticizing umpires have the length of those suspensions released by the league. There is no such standard for umpires who act unprofessionally. The salary of Major League Baseball umpires will not fluctuate with poor performances.

Playoff assignments should be handed out based on the grades the umpires receive during the regular season. Try telling that to fans of teams who see Angel Hernandez or Joe West receive top-flight playoff assignments. The union protects the umpires, and that also includes negotiating higher umpire wages.

The expanded MLB playoff format means more postseason assignments for MLB umpires.

How To Become An MLB Umpire?

The road to becoming an MLB umpire is long. It starts with enrolling in MLB-sanctioned umpiring schools. The best of the bunch take a course, and that can result in opportunities to umpire in lower-level minor leagues.

Unfortunately, MLB has done away with some of those leagues. That limits the opportunities for umpires-in-training.

Like players, umpires work their way up through the minor leagues. When there is an opening at the MLB level, those who earned strong grades at AA or AAA are hoping for the MLB call. Once that happens, they reap the benefits of a baseball umpire salary at the MLB level.

Who is the highest-paid MLB umpire?

Gerry Davis is reported to have the highest annual salary among MLB umpires. He makes an estimated $550,000 per year, but that number can vary based on playoff assignments.

How much do MLB umpires make per game?

The average salary per game varies based on longevity. Not every umpire will approach the numbers of somebody like Davis, which can result in lesser-known umpires making less than $2000 per game.