# What salary bands can buyers responsibly use?


**Use the published figures as role-specific comparators, not as a market median.** The reviewed examples differ in employer type, geography, seniority and scope. The sample is too limited to estimate a typical MLS recruitment-analyst salary or NWSL scouting-director salary.

| Comparator | Published figure | Appropriate use | Inappropriate use |
|---|---:|---|---|
| NYCFC performance analyst | **$70,000–$75,000 base/year** | A disclosed club-side performance-analysis range. | A universal recruitment-analyst rate. ([teamworkonline.com](https://www.teamworkonline.com/soccer-jobs/nycfc/nyc-fc/first-team-performance-analyst-2197020?utm_source=openai)) |
| San Diego first-team scout | **$70,000–$85,000/year**, secondary source | A provisional scouting comparator requiring confirmation. | A verified current employer offer. ([futboljobs.com](https://futboljobs.com/en/job-offer/1st-team-scout-san-diego-fc-usa-41783/?utm_source=openai)) |
| MLS senior sporting-analytics manager | **$100,000–$125,000 base/year** | League-office analytical leadership comparison. | Evidence of a club’s supplier budget. ([careers-mlssoccer.icims.com](https://careers-mlssoccer.icims.com/jobs/2318/senior-manager%2C-soccer-analytics-%26-data-science/job?source=TeamWork&utm_source=TeamWork)) |
| Bay FC sporting data leader | **Starts at $140,000** | A starting-pay reference for the advertised leadership scope. | A complete range or proof the vacancy remains unfilled. ([ats.rippling.com](https://ats.rippling.com/bay-fc-jobs/jobs/bab45c40-93b7-4b78-95ef-94be1433fab7?jobSite=LinkedIn&utm_source=openai)) |
| Teamworks soccer data scientist | **$145,000 US figure**, bonus/equity additional | Supplier-side specialist compensation context. | A club salary or multi-point band. ([jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/teamworks/04a58306-fe35-40eb-a59d-cac677c5f23e/?utm_source=openai)) |
| Teamworks soccer product manager | **$161,000 US figure**, bonus/equity additional | Product-leadership investment context. | A measure of what clubs pay for Player ID. ([jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/teamworks/2d6192e4-ba88-4122-964c-89ba7b4c8513?utm_source=openai)) |

California’s labour regulator defines a published pay scale as a good-faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage expected on hire; bonuses and other benefits need not be included. This is one reason to distinguish advertised wages from total employment cost. It is not a legal assessment of any advert in this report. ([dir.ca.gov](https://dir.ca.gov/dlse/california_equal_pay_act.htm?utm_source=openai))

### How should hiring enter a scouting-software total-cost calculation?

Use the following **proposed budgeting structure**, populated with the club’s own figures:

**First-year supplier cash cost** = subscription + separately charged data or rights + implementation + external integration/support + transition costs.

**Internal capacity requirement** = evaluation hours + implementation hours + training hours + recurring maintenance and review hours.

**Employment cost**, where a hire is genuinely required, should be assessed separately using compensation, benefits, employer costs and necessary equipment or travel supplied by finance.

Do not charge an entire mixed sporting role to one recruitment product without an agreed allocation. Equally, do not call reduced manual work a cash saving unless expenditure actually falls. A **Scouting Renewal Cost Calculator** should show cash costs and released staff capacity separately.

**No evidence found in this review validates the supplied planning assumption of $75,000–$300,000 in annual external intelligence spending per club.** The advertised salaries do not resolve that gap.