Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials Salary
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV make a median of $40,300 a year. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $37,013 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 80.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $40K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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.
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Umpires, referees, and other sports officials pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $40K locally vs. $41K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 81.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for umpires, referees, and other sports officials in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $35K | $33K |
| Richmond | $41K | $41K |
| Charlottesville | $33K | $34K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level umpires, referees, and other sports officials (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $36K 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a umpires, referees, and other sports official afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 81.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new umpires, referees, and other sports officials typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,015/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 111% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $40K locally vs. $41K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for umpires, referees, and other sports officials?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $41K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do umpires, referees, and other sports officials make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $40,300 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,590, and experienced umpires, referees, and other sports officials can clear $69,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,756/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 81.5% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 $37,013 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.