Clergy salary in the U.S.
Clergy in the U.S. earn a median of $60,810 a year ($29.24 an hour), based on BLS data for 57,200 workers.
Pay ranges from $37,860 for the lowest-paid 10% to $98,890 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $66,860, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for clergy in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,860 | $18.20 |
| 25th percentile | $48,260 | $23.20 |
| Median | $60,810 | $29.24 |
| 75th percentile | $76,640 | $36.85 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $98,890 | $47.54 |
| Average (mean) | $66,860 | $32.15 |
Half of clergy earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,067.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,533.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,338.85 |
| Weekly | $1,169.42 |
| Hourly | $29.24 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Clergy salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $80,830 | 1,060 |
| California | $77,710 | 7,110 |
| Nevada | $73,910 | 210 |
| Massachusetts | $72,190 | 840 |
| New Jersey | $65,500 | 1,460 |
| New Hampshire | $65,200 | 100 |
| Vermont | $64,950 | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $64,800 | 310 |
| Maine | $64,340 | 160 |
| New Mexico | $64,100 | 270 |
| Colorado | $63,700 | 440 |
| Connecticut | $63,470 | 900 |
| Delaware | $63,260 | 120 |
| Oregon | $63,140 | 3,850 |
| Arizona | $61,900 | 1,070 |
| Illinois | $61,820 | 2,200 |
| Maryland | $61,620 | 670 |
| Wyoming | $61,590 | 40 |
| Minnesota | $61,230 | 1,160 |
| Hawaii | $61,050 | 720 |
| Wisconsin | $60,950 | 770 |
| North Dakota | $60,680 | 120 |
| Iowa | $60,630 | 370 |
| Georgia | $60,530 | 1,380 |
| South Dakota | $59,860 | 140 |
| Rhode Island | $59,660 | 230 |
| North Carolina | $59,600 | 1,430 |
| Idaho | $59,570 | 150 |
| Montana | $59,550 | 680 |
| Texas | $59,480 | 3,180 |
| Ohio | $59,160 | 2,020 |
| Oklahoma | $59,110 | 510 |
| Indiana | $59,020 | 1,060 |
| Kentucky | $58,920 | 410 |
| Missouri | $58,740 | 920 |
| New York | $58,580 | 7,790 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,300 | 2,150 |
| Nebraska | $57,520 | 270 |
| Tennessee | $57,260 | 710 |
| Florida | $56,940 | 3,560 |
| South Carolina | $56,630 | 450 |
| Michigan | $56,490 | 1,880 |
| Alaska | $55,780 | 150 |
| Virginia | $55,430 | 1,220 |
| Louisiana | $54,140 | 400 |
| Mississippi | $52,450 | 250 |
| Kansas | $52,130 | 450 |
| Alabama | $50,180 | 850 |
| Arkansas | $49,070 | 350 |
| West Virginia | $48,460 | 290 |
| Guam | $37,460 | 30 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,880 | 290 |
Best-paying metro areas for clergy
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $84,050 | n/a |
| Bozeman, MT | $81,770 | 80 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81,750 | 740 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $81,280 | 70 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $80,760 | 70 |
| Vallejo, CA | $79,590 | 60 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $78,330 | 450 |
| Salem, OR | $78,220 | 380 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $77,510 | 330 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $77,450 | 560 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $77,420 | 30 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $77,050 | 110 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $77,030 | 60 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $76,720 | 310 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $75,020 | 80 |
Metro areas with the most clergy
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,110 | $61,860 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,750 | $65,710 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,690 | $61,820 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,130 | $74,580 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 990 | $58,470 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 950 | $63,430 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 920 | $60,040 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 890 | $63,000 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 850 | $61,170 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 770 | $64,060 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 740 | $81,750 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 720 | $65,150 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 670 | $61,010 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 620 | $73,160 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 600 | $55,070 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Directors, Religious Activities and Education | $52,100 | $25.05 |
| Religious Workers, All Other | $45,280 | $21.77 |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,350 | $28.53 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | $45,930 | $22.08 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $59,550 | $28.63 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $64,330 | $30.93 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 | $32.63 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $60,280 | $28.98 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $56,730 | $27.28 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 | $22.52 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $66,270 | $31.86 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $66,940 | $32.18 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 | $30.80 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $71,900 | $34.57 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 21-2011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a clergy make in the U.S.?
The median salary for clergy in the U.S. is $60,810 a year, or $29.24 an hour. Pay ranges from $37,860 for the lowest-paid 10% to $98,890 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid clergy make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of clergy in the U.S. earn at least $98,890 a year. The top 25% earn $76,640 or more.
What is the starting pay for clergy in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $37,860 a year, and a quarter of clergy earn $48,260 or less.
How many clergy work in the U.S.?
About 57,200 clergy are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.