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Lacrosse referees’ compensation varies widely by level and location. Unlike major professional sports, most lacrosse officials work part-time and earn modest fees. Here’s an overview of referee pay in lacrosse for 2025, from youth leagues up through the pros.

Pay by Level of Play

Youth Lacrosse: At youth and recreational levels, referees often earn around $30 to $60 per game. Many youth leagues are organized by local parks or clubs, and pay small fees. For weekend tournaments, officials might get a slightly higher daily rate, but it’s generally a small stipend. Often referees need to work multiple games in a day to make it worthwhile.
High School Lacrosse: High school refs make more than youth, but still relatively little compared to other sports. Typically, a high school boys’ or girls’ lacrosse referee earns about $50 to $100 per game (per official). In a high school contest, there are usually two or three officials, each getting that amount. Some states and conferences pay the higher end ($80–$100) for varsity games and a bit less for junior varsity. For example, some state associations in 2025 had rates around $80–$90 per official for a varsity boys’ game.
College Lacrosse: In college, referees are usually paid more, especially at NCAA Division I. College crews often have three officials (crew chief, umpire, etc.). Typical game fees might be approximately $150 to $300 per game for DIII officials, $200 to $350 for DII, and $200 to $400 (or more) for Division I officials, per official. The exact pay depends on the conference and region. For top NCAA D1 conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Ivy League, etc.), a first-year official might earn around $200–$250, while veteran officials in a big conference could earn $300+ per game. Postseason games pay significantly more, sometimes $500+ for semifinals or finals.
Professional Leagues (PLL, NLL): Professional lacrosse leagues pay the highest officiating fees. In the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL, the outdoor pro league) or the National Lacrosse League (NLL, the indoor league), officials might earn on the order of a few hundred dollars per game up to around $500 or more. Actual numbers are not widely published, but reports indicate early-career PLL officials get a few hundred per match, while very experienced officials (on championship games) can make close to $1,000 for big events. Because the PLL is a touring league, refs often officiate multiple games over a weekend, so their earnings for a weekend could be substantial. Both PLL and NLL typically cover travel expenses and lodging for officials on assignment.

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Factors Influencing Pay

Several factors affect what a lacrosse referee earns:

Experience: Veteran officials are often paid more. A referee with many years and higher certification (state or national level) commands higher game fees.
Game Importance: Playoff and championship games usually pay double or more compared to a regular-season game. Tournaments often pay extra if a ref is selected for finals.
Region: Rates vary by region. Lacrosse has pockets of high popularity (Northeast U.S., Mid-Atlantic), and in those areas the demand (and pay) is higher. Some high schools or colleges may pay a flat fee, while others pay by the hour.
Number of Officials: More officials in a crew means pay is split more ways. For example, an NCAA D1 game with three refs paying $300 each costs $900 total. A high school game with two refs paying $75 each is $150 total.
Season Length: The length of the lacrosse season is short (spring months), so even full-time referees have limited games to work. This limits annual income potential.

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Annual Income Range

Given the per-game fees and a limited season, lacrosse referees generally do not make large annual salaries just from refereeing. For example, a high school official working two games a week (say one middle school on Saturday, one JV on Monday) at $75 per game might make ~$9,000 in a season. A top college official doing, say, 25 games at $300 per game would earn about $7,500. Many officials do multiple sports (e.g., lacrosse in spring, football in fall) to increase their yearly earnings.

At the very top, a referee who consistently works college and maybe a few PLL weekends could make on the order of $20,000–$30,000 in a year from officiating. But that is not common; most lacrosse refs earn in the low thousands for a season.

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Summary

Youth referees: roughly $30–$60 per game.
High school refs: roughly $50–$100 per game.
NCAA refs: ~$150–$400 per game (depending on division).
Pro refs (PLL/NLL): several hundred per game, possibly $500–$1,000 for big matches.

All said, lacrosse refereeing is usually a part-time, seasonal job or volunteer role. Officials often do it for the love of the game or supplemental income. In 2025, the pay structure has not dramatically changed – referees earn per-game fees that reflect their level and experience, but even at the highest amateur levels it remains a modest income.

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