NBA Referee Salary and The List of Highest-Paid NBA Referees 2024
NBA (national basketball association), is a well-known figure and a multi-billion dollar industry because of being famed around the whole world. As everyone knows that NBA players are paid highly, so along with them NBA referees also get unusual remuneration. NBA referee salary goes round-about $150,000 to $550,000 per year.
NBA Referee Salary Stats: That You Must Know
Like NBA players, NBA referees also have an instrumental role in the game. As players are focused on playing and scoring more points than the opponent team, then referees make sure that the game is played legitimately with minimum basketball fouls and that all the rules are followed. So, such a substantial duty of a referee is worth that much NBA referee salary.
Officially, the base NBA referee salary is set, furthermore, incentives and bonuses are also included in their salary packages. If you want to know more about NBA referee salary then all the incentives and bonuses a referee gets from NBA are explained in this article.
The approximate base NBA referee salary is $250,000 per year. However, it goes on increasing with the passage of time and experience. As a referee’s job is to maintain the game according to the rules and regulations, so knowledge of the game and experience do matter a lot in this job. During the game when players are already in an aggressive mood, taking the charge of the game and handling it smoothly becomes an arduous job.
When the referee gets a rich history of experience of a roundabout five years, his salary becomes $500,000 annually. However, this may also vary according to the game and the league.
Additionally, if a referee officiates a playoff game then he also gets a bonus for officiating the game, and that bonus depends on the round and importance of the game. And the bonus is of course except the NBA referee salary.
Another incentive an NBA referee gets with his salary is a per diem allowance. A per diem allowance is the expense that a referee gets during traveling. So that they can travel comfortably. These expenses include food expenses, transportation, laundry, etc.
A pension plan is also devised for an NBA referee, so that he may work keenly without worrying about life after retirement.
Moreover, health and disability insurance facilities are also available for NBA referees. As we all know, a basketball game demands physical work so potential injuries are also expected. So, keeping that in mind medical, dental, and vision insurance along with long-term disability insurance is also provided.
Now, let’s spill the beans on the highest-paid NBA referees:
| No. | Referee Name | Regular Season Fee | Play-Off Match Fee | Semifinal and Final Match Fee | Annual Earnings |
| 1 | James Capers | $7,000 | $9,000 | $29,000 | $550,000 |
| 2 | Sean Corbin | $7,000 | $9,000 | $29,000 | $550,000 |
| 3 | Tony Brothers | $7,000 | $9,000 | $29,000 | $550,000 |
| 4 | Rodney Mott | $7,000 | $9,000 | $29,000 | $550,000 |
| 5 | Scott Foster | $7,000 | $9,000 | $29,000 | $550,000 |
| 6 | Ken Mauer | $7,000 | $9,000 | $29,000 | $550,000 |
| 7 | Pat Fraher | $7,000 | $9,000 | $29,000 | $550,000 |
| 8 | Tom Washington | $7,000 | $9,000 | $29,000 | $550,000 |
| 9 | Marc Davis | $7,000 | $9,000 | $29,000 | $550,000 |
| 10 | Eric Lewis | $7,000 | $9,000 | $25,000 | $500,000 |
| 11 | Michael Smith | $7,000 | $9,000 | $25,000 | $500,000 |
| 12 | Leon Wood | $7,000 | $9,000 | $25,000 | $500,000 |
| 13 | Tony Brown | $7,000 | $9,000 | $25,000 | $500,000 |
| 14 | David Guthrie | $7,000 | $9,000 | $25,000 | $500,000 |
| 15 | John Goble | $7,000 | $9,000 | $25,000 | $500,000 |
| 16 | Leroy Richardson | $7,000 | $9,000 | $25,000 | $500,000 |
| 17 | Scott Wall | $7,000 | $9,000 | $25,000 | $500,000 |
| 18 | Sean Wright | $7,000 | $9,000 | $25,000 | $500,000 |
| 19 | Marat Kogut | $7,000 | $9,000 | $25,000 | $500,000 |
| 20 | Derek Richardson | $7,000 | $9,000 | $25,000 | $500,000 |
Final Thoughts
If looked at the efforts and the duty of NBA referees, it’s proved that they play a major role in maintaining the fairness and integrity of the game. They require a sharp mind, excellent observing skills, physically fit and active body to catch every foul move of the players. That’s why, in response to that arduous job, they are compensated with a handsome NBA referee salary. So that they can work with tranquility and be free from other personal interruptions.
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