Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Salary
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA make a median of $27,850 a year. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $147K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $50K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.65), that's roughly $28,231 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,493/month, about 74.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $28K get you in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Harrisburg-Carlisle’s Regional Price Parity (98.65). 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle
Pay for umpires, referees, and other sports officials in Harrisburg-Carlisle runs about 32% below the U.S. median of $41K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,493/month, which is 76.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.65) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $45K | $48K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $35K | $33K |
| Cleveland | $57K | $61K |
| Columbus | $58K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Entry-level umpires, referees, and other sports officials (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $28K. Top earners bring in $147K or more, a $126K 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a umpires, referees, and other sports official afford a 2BR apartment alone in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $28K, rent takes 76.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,493/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new umpires, referees, and other sports officials typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,248/month. At HUD’s $1,493/month FMR, rent would take 120% 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Local pay runs 32% below the national median — $28K here vs. $41K nationally.
How does Harrisburg-Carlisle compare to the national average for umpires, referees, and other sports officials?
Harrisburg-Carlisle pays $28K median vs. the U.S. average of $41K — that’s -32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $28K — below the national median.
How much do umpires, referees, and other sports officials make in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?
The median is $27,850 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $20,800, and experienced umpires, referees, and other sports officials can clear $147,040. The mean (average) is $50,280, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $28K enough to live in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,963/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,493/month, which eats 76.1% 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Harrisburg-Carlisle has a Regional Price Parity of 98.65 (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 $28,231 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.
