High School Basketball Officials
"Game Fee" Comparisons

I have collected some information on how much high school basketball officials are paid in various states.  Here is the result of my work so far with the accompanying disclaimer:  While I have tried to be as complete and accurate as possible and feel that the referenced documentation supports these figures, I am not the "final" authority on any of this.  Use the figures at your own risk!

All of the "out of Louisiana" figures come from the various state web sites (click on the state name in the explanatory paragraphs below for the link to the site containing the information:  you may have to search within the page or site some, and some of the links are to PDF documents that can be read with Adobe Acrobat).  The Louisiana stuff comes from the LHSAA handbook.

I'd be interested in your thoughts.  If you find something incorrect or just have a comment, please let me know: rusty@rusty1.com

Varsity Game Fees : Links in this table connect to detailed explanatory paragraphs below (in which a link exists to external documentation)

Game Fees
Varsity Doubleheader
2-Man Crew
Game Fee per Official
for both games
Varsity Doubleheader
3-Man Crew
Game Fee per Official
for both games
Louisiana
Also get 60 cents per mile
one-way for entire crew in most cases

$36, $38, $42
Varies according to level of official
$36, $38, $42
Varies according to level of official
Mississippi
$55, $60, $70
Varies according to level of official
$55, $60
Varies according to level of official
North Carolina
Only 3-person crews used $70
Missouri
$80
$70
Tennessee
$80
$70
Kentucky
Plus negotiated mileage
$90
$70
Georgia
Plus $30 per crew per night for travel

$78
Florida
Plus 60 cents per mile one-way for 1 vehicle
$90
$80
Alabama
Plus 36 cents per mile round trip
Only 3-person crews used
$80
Washington
Plus mileage at IRS rate
$92-94
Varies according to school classification
$62-66
Varies according to school classification
New Mexico
Plus 40.6 cents per mile round trip
$96
$96
Colorado
Plus 25 cents per mile round trip
$104
$88
North Dakota
Plus 37.5 cents per mile round trip
$108
$108
Texas
Fee based on Gate Receipts;
Complete table located below.
$110
Based on $1000 gate receipts
$85
Based on $1000 gate receipts
California $112
Only 2-person crews used
Massachusetts
$140
Only 2-person crews used
Ohio
Only 3-person crews used $120
Arkansas & Indiana
Game fees negotiated with local schools Game fees negotiated with local schools

Explanatory paragraphs:

   Louisiana (from LHSAA Handbook 12.16.5):  $24.50 - $27 each official for a single game (depending on classification of school):  plus "patch pay" of $2 for approved officials and $6 for certified officials, plus travel of 60 cents per mile one way for one vehicle;  2-games is $36 each official (plus patch pay) for all classes (almost everything in LA is a varsity doubleheader with this $36 base pay for both games)
back to table

   Mississippi:  2005-2006: Doubleheader (1 JV and 1 V) each official gets $70, $60, or $55 (based on patch) for 2-man crew and $40 for tournament games; for 3 man crew each official gets $60 or $55 (based on patch)

   North Carolina 2006: (only 3-man used):  $50 each for 1 game, $70 each for 2 games; JV games pay $40 for 1 game and $60 for 2 games for 3-man crews, $45 and $65 for 2 man crews

   Missouri:  2005-2006:  $80 per official for doubleheader for 2-man, $75 per official for Varsity and JV; $40 for one varsity tournament game or $35 per official for a 3-man crew; JV and 2 Varsity requires 3 officials and pays $75 per official; 2 JV games is $65 per official; 2 Freshmen is $60 per official; 2 JR Hi games is $55 per official; 3 JR Hi games requires 3 officials and is $55 per official

back to table
   Tennessee:  2006-2007:  Doubleheader $80 each official for 2-man, $70 for 3-man

   Georgia:  2005-2006:  3-man crew-$39 per official per game ($78-2 games) plus $30 travel per crew; 3-man crew-$35 per official per game ($70-2 games)

   Kentucky:  2005-2006: 2-man crew gets $45 each per game ($90 for 2 games); 3-man crew $35 each per game ($70 for 2 games)

   Florida:  2005-2006: 2-man crew-$45 per official per game ($90-2 games); 3-man crew-$40 per official per game ($80-2 games); mileage is 60 cents per mile one way for 1 vehicle; JV games $35 per official per game; also see for West Coast Officials Assoc in Tampa: 2005-2006 2 man crew gets $50 per official per game ($100 for 2 games) plus $7 travel, and 3 man crew gets $45 per official per game ($90 for 2 games)  plus $7 travel

back to table
   Alabama 2005-2006: (only 3-man used):  $40 per official per game ($80 for 2 games) plus 36 cents per mile round trip for 1 car; JV is $40 per game for each official in 2-man crew and $35 per game for each official in 3-man crew)

   Washington: 2005-2006:  2-man crew 2A-4A: $49 per official per game ($98-2 games), 1A/B $46 per official per game ($92 - 2 games); 3-man crew 2A-4A $33 per official per game, 1A/B $31 per official per game, subvarsity $25 per official per game

   New Mexico:  2005-2006:  $48 per official per game ($96 for 2 games) plus 40.5 cents per mile round trip; JV $30 per official per game; JR Hi $25 per official per game

   Colorado 2005-2006: 3-man crew $44 per official per game ($88 for 2 games); 2-man crew $52 per official per game ($104 for 2 games); mileage is 35 cents per mile round trip per official; Subvarsity is $36 (2-man) and $33 (3-man) per official per game

back to table
   North Dakota:  2005-2006:  $54 per official per game ($108 for 2 games) plus 37.5 cents per mile round trip for car and driver,  5 cents per mile for riders in cars going more than 100 miles

   California (only 2-man used):  $56 each per game ($112 for 2 games); JV is $45 per game; also see California North Coast: in 2004-2005 55 each per game for 2 man, 50.50 each for 3-man ($110 and $101, respectively, for 2 gmes)

   Massachusetts: 2006-2007: 2 officials per game, $70 per official ($140 for 2 games): JV is $49 per official per game

   Ohio 2006-2007: (only 3-man used):  $60 each per game for varsity; JV games pay $35 per official for 2-man crew, $30 per official for 3-man crew

  Indiana:  2005-2006:  game fees set locally; state tourney fees are for 3-man crews:  $52 (regional), $73 (sectional), $99 (super-sectional), and $130 (state finals) per official per game

back to table
   Texas: 2005-2006: Pays by the gate (amount of money collected from spectators--see table below)
TEXAS Game Fees

Gross Gate Receipts
2-Man CREW
One Game
Per Official
2-Man CREW
Two Games
Per Official

3-Man CREW

One Game
Per Official

3-Man CREW

Two Games
Per Official
Approx. # of
Paying Fans
@$4 each
Up to $150 35.00 60.00 30.00 50.00
up to 37
$150 to $300 45.00 70.00 40.00
60.00
37 to 75
$300 to $500 60.00  85.00 45.00
65.00
75 to 125
$500 to $700 65.00 90.00 50.00
70.00
125 to 175
$700 to $1,000 70.00 100.00  55.00
75.00
175 to 250
$1,000 to $1,500 80.00 110.00 65.00
85.00
250 to 375
$1,500 to $2000
90.00 120.00 75.00
95.00
375 to 500
Each additional $500 add 20.00 add 20.00 add 20.00 add 20.00