Best cities for a referee
The best cities for referees are Scottsdale, AZ, Pittsburgh, PA, and Glendale, AZ, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for referees vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for referees in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a referee or considering a move, this list of the best cities for referees to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for referees. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a referee. While the absolute best city for referees is Scottsdale, AZ, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for referees in 2024.
If you're looking for a referee job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for referees in 2025
1. Scottsdale, AZ
Total referee jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $72,059 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location quotient: 5.11 2. Pittsburgh, PA
Total referee jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $76,115 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location quotient: 6.15 3. Glendale, AZ
Total referee jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $72,266 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location quotient: 0.00 4. Phoenix, AZ
Total referee jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $72,205 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location quotient: 0.00 5. Raleigh, NC
Total referee jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $68,104 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location quotient: 1.02 6. Fort Wayne, IN
Total referee jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $61,443 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location quotient: 31.94 7. Chandler, AZ
Total referee jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $71,973 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Gilbert, AZ
Total referee jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $71,911 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Mesa, AZ
Total referee jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $71,910 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Tucson, AZ
Total referee jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $71,196 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location quotient: 0.00
Choose from 10+ customizable referee resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use referee resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your referee resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for referees
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Glendale, AZ
- Phoenix, AZ
- Raleigh, NC
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Chandler, AZ
- Gilbert, AZ
- Mesa, AZ
- Tucson, AZ
- (2 referee jobs)
- (7 referee jobs)
- (0 referee jobs)
- (0 referee jobs)
- (1 referee jobs)
- (7 referee jobs)
- (0 referee jobs)
- (0 referee jobs)
- (0 referee jobs)
- (0 referee jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a referee
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scottsdale, AZ | $72,059 | $32,000 | 246,645 | 2 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh, PA | $76,115 | $35,000 | 303,625 | 7 |
| 3 | Glendale, AZ | $72,266 | $32,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 4 | Phoenix, AZ | $72,205 | $32,000 | 1,615,017 | - |
| 5 | Raleigh, NC | $68,104 | $32,000 | 458,880 | 1 |
| 6 | Fort Wayne, IN | $61,443 | $29,000 | 264,488 | 7 |
| 7 | Chandler, AZ | $71,973 | $32,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 8 | Gilbert, AZ | $71,911 | $32,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 9 | Mesa, AZ | $71,910 | $32,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 10 | Tucson, AZ | $71,196 | $32,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $78,501 | $36,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 12 | Durham, NC | $68,383 | $32,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 13 | Seattle, WA | $65,908 | $30,000 | 704,352 | 10 |
| 14 | Detroit, MI | $72,528 | $34,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 15 | Greensboro, NC | $67,009 | $32,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 16 | Winston-Salem, NC | $66,252 | $32,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 17 | Boston, MA | $65,727 | $30,000 | 673,184 | 5 |
| 18 | Albuquerque, NM | $58,877 | $27,000 | 559,277 | 4 |
| 19 | Louisville, KY | $61,483 | $30,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 20 | Virginia Beach, VA | $76,139 | $35,000 | 452,602 | - |
| 21 | Norfolk, VA | $75,974 | $35,000 | 245,115 | - |
| 22 | Charlotte, NC | $61,908 | $30,000 | 842,051 | - |
| 23 | Chesapeake, VA | $75,326 | $35,000 | 237,940 | - |
| 24 | Indianapolis, IN | $56,258 | $28,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 25 | Lexington, KY | $62,913 | $31,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 26 | Cleveland, OH | $58,036 | $27,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 27 | Riverside, CA | $64,223 | $28,000 | 324,722 | 3 |
| 28 | Las Vegas, NV | $58,593 | $25,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 29 | Toledo, OH | $56,242 | $26,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 30 | Columbus, OH | $52,921 | $25,000 | 860,090 | 2 |
| 31 | Reno, NV | $58,409 | $25,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 32 | San Francisco, CA | $71,239 | $30,000 | 870,887 | - |
| 33 | North Las Vegas, NV | $58,368 | $25,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 34 | Oakland, CA | $71,051 | $30,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 35 | Henderson, NV | $58,345 | $25,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 36 | Fremont, CA | $70,815 | $30,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 37 | Portland, OR | $60,765 | $27,000 | 639,863 | 3 |
| 38 | San Jose, CA | $70,674 | $30,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 39 | Stockton, CA | $69,964 | $30,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 40 | Los Angeles, CA | $65,069 | $28,000 | 3,976,322 | 3 |
| 41 | Irvine, CA | $64,210 | $28,000 | 266,122 | 2 |
| 42 | Anchorage, AK | $53,049 | $26,000 | 298,192 | 3 |
| 43 | Baltimore, MD | $64,744 | $30,000 | 614,664 | - |
| 44 | Sacramento, CA | $69,128 | $29,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 45 | Washington, DC | $62,658 | $29,000 | 681,170 | 13 |
| 46 | Fresno, CA | $68,614 | $29,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 47 | Bakersfield, CA | $67,044 | $29,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 48 | Long Beach, CA | $64,610 | $28,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 49 | Anaheim, CA | $64,494 | $28,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 50 | Santa Ana, CA | $64,356 | $28,000 | 334,217 | - |
Highest paying cities for referees
| Rank | City | Avg. referee salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia, PA | $78,501 |
| 2 | Lynchburg, VA | $73,128 |
| 3 | Scottsdale, AZ | $72,059 |
| 4 | Greenville, NC | $69,737 |
| 5 | Roseville, CA | $68,384 |
| 6 | Shoreline, WA | $66,264 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $65,727 |
| 8 | Medford, OR | $64,927 |
| 9 | Fort Wayne, IN | $61,443 |
| 10 | Albuquerque, NM | $58,877 |
| 11 | Iowa City, IA | $55,624 |
| 12 | Anchorage, AK | $53,049 |
| 13 | Racine, WI | $49,476 |
| 14 | Pleasant Grove, UT | $49,023 |
| 15 | New York, NY | $48,653 |
| 16 | Fridley, MN | $48,060 |
| 17 | Missoula, MT | $47,894 |
| 18 | Wheaton, IL | $47,158 |
| 19 | Overland Park, KS | $46,338 |
| 20 | Palm Harbor, FL | $44,615 |
Referee best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.
Search for referee jobs
Updated January 8, 2025