Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Salary
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials in Arizona make a median of $46,440 a year. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $48,169 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,437/month, about 44.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in Arizona?
About umpires, referees, and other sports officials
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Arizona
Arizona sits well above the national pay line for umpires, referees, and other sports officials, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $41K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,437/month, which is 45.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level umpires, referees, and other sports officials (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials salary by metro in Arizona
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $50K | +8% | 160 |
Compare to other states
Track umpires, referees, and other sports officials salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a umpires, referees, and other sports official afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 45.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for umpires, referees, and other sports officials in Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new umpires, referees, and other sports officials typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,904/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 75% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is umpires, referees, and other sports official a high-paying job in Arizona?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $46K here vs. $41K nationally.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for umpires, referees, and other sports officials?
Arizona pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $41K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do umpires, referees, and other sports officials make in Arizona?
The median is $46,440 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,730, and experienced umpires, referees, and other sports officials can clear $69,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,183/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 45.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a umpires, referees, and other sports officials salary go in Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median umpires, referees, and other sports officials salary is worth about $48,169 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do umpires, referees, and other sports officials get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.