The stipend an assistant HS coach gets is probably less than a football official makes over the course of the season and they put in a LOT more hours. It's a different story if you are going into college or professional coaching right away, but a D1 college official probably makes $20-$30k per year after expenses and still has a regular job for primary income. It's likely going to take you at least 10-15 years of high school/small college officiating to get there though.
But seriously, it's a great way to stay engaged in the game, you will make amazing friends who are passionate about the avocation, and you can have a positive impact with a job well done. I should warn you though you will look at sports differently. You have never truly watched a game without caring about the outcome of each play or game. You are so focused on what you are doing and your responsibilities that each play is just another play. It doesn't matter if it's the first play of the game or the last play. I am still a fan and watch my teams but I'm not as emotionally wrapped up in the outcome. That may not be a good thing for some people. We are seriously hurting for good officials in every corner of the country and the trend is getting much worse every year. Youth leagues and middle schools are having to cancel games. Freshmen and JV games are getting cancelled. Varsity games are moving to Saturday or Thursday so they can be covered. It's getting worse and worse every year. Not enough younger people are doing it so if you have ever even remotely considered it please let me know. I can connect you with an official in your area to help you get started.
