Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Salary
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ make a median of $50,250 a year. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.32), that's roughly $48,635 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,839/month, about 54.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler’s Regional Price Parity (103.32). 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler sits well above the national pay line for umpires, referees, and other sports officials, local pay runs about 23% 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 $1,839/month, which is 53.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.32) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for umpires, referees, and other sports officials in metros near Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $51K | $45K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $42K | , |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $31K | $31K |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $30K | $30K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
Entry-level umpires, referees, and other sports officials (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $70K 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a umpires, referees, and other sports official afford a 2BR apartment alone in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 53.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,839/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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
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 $1,839/month FMR, rent would take 97% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $50K here vs. $41K nationally.
How does Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler compare to the national average for umpires, referees, and other sports officials?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $41K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.32), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do umpires, referees, and other sports officials make in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
The median is $50,250 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,730, and experienced umpires, referees, and other sports officials can clear $69,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,430/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,839/month, which eats 53.6% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler has a Regional Price Parity of 103.32 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median umpires, referees, and other sports officials salary is worth about $48,635 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.