Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Salary
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $34,370 a year. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $37,481 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 56.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About umpires, referees, and other sports officials
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Pay for umpires, referees, and other sports officials in Des Moines-West Des Moines runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $41K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 56.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for umpires, referees, and other sports officialss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for umpires, referees, and other sports officials in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $52K | $50K |
| St. Louis | $34K | $36K |
| Kansas City | $38K | $41K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $57K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level umpires, referees, and other sports officials (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $68K | +66% | 420 |
| North Dakota | $64K | +57% | 180 |
| South Carolina | $61K | +51% | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $57K | +40% | 300 |
| Ohio | $55K | +35% | 580 |
| Louisiana | $50K | +23% | 310 |
| Illinois | $49K | +21% | 690 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | +19% | 250 |
| West Virginia | $46K | +14% | 50 |
| Arizona | $46K | +14% | 210 |
| Indiana | $46K | +13% | 170 |
| Vermont | $46K | +13% | 80 |
| California | $45K | +9% | 1,950 |
| Colorado | $44K | +9% | 1,120 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | +9% | 320 |
| Iowa | $43K | +6% | 190 |
| Texas | $43K | +5% | 650 |
| Washington | $41K | +2% | 400 |
| Virginia | $41K | +0% | 260 |
| Connecticut | $40K | -3% | 200 |
| Oregon | $39K | -5% | 170 |
| Florida | $37K | -9% | 280 |
| Montana | $36K | -11% | 60 |
| South Dakota | $35K | -13% | 80 |
| Michigan | $35K | -15% | 340 |
| Missouri | $33K | -19% | 1,240 |
| Idaho | $32K | -21% | 170 |
| Utah | $31K | -23% | 1,100 |
| Nebraska | $31K | -23% | 40 |
| Georgia | $28K | -30% | 280 |
| Mississippi | $27K | -34% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $27K | -35% | 400 |
| Kansas | $26K | -37% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $22K | -46% | 220 |
Showing 1–10 of 34 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track umpires, referees, and other sports officials salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a umpires, referees, and other sports official afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 56.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new umpires, referees, and other sports officials typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,732/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 76% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $34K here vs. $41K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for umpires, referees, and other sports officials?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $41K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do umpires, referees, and other sports officials make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $34,370 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,860, and experienced umpires, referees, and other sports officials can clear $66,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,343/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 56.3% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 $37,481 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.