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Pastor: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$60,810median pay per year, or $29.24 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $37,860lowest 10% earn less
  2. $48,26025th percentile
  3. $60,810median
  4. $76,64075th percentile
  5. $98,890top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Clergy, the BLS category that covers pastors, had a median pay of $60,810 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+2.4%[2]
Openings per year
19,200[5]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[6]

How much do pastors make?

Pastor is one of the job titles workers report in the Clergy category[7]. In May 2025, the median wage was $60,810 a year, or $29.24 an hour[1]. Half of the workers earned more than the median and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) wage was $66,860 a year, or $32.15 an hour[8]. For comparison, the median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[4].

Pay varies a lot across the range:

Point in the range Annual wage Hourly wage
10th percentile[3][9] $37,860 $18.20
25th percentile[3][9] $48,260 $23.20
Median[1] $60,810 $29.24
75th percentile[3][9] $76,640 $36.85
90th percentile[3][9] $98,890 $47.54

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,860, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $98,890[3]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10].

These figures cover wage and salary workers, both part time and full time. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[11].

Pay by state and city

Washington had the highest median wage for clergy at $80,830, followed by California at $77,710 and Nevada at $73,910[12]. West Virginia had the lowest listed median at $48,460[12].

The most jobs were in New York (7,790), California (7,110), Oregon (3,850), Florida (3,560) and Texas (3,180)[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA had the highest median at $81,750[14]. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA was next at $78,330, then Salem, OR at $78,220[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs at 6,110, with a median of $61,860[15].

Show median pay in 49 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Washington[12]$80,8301,060
California$77,7107,110
Nevada$73,910210
Massachusetts$72,190840
New Jersey$65,5001,460
New Hampshire$65,200100
Vermont$64,95050
District of Columbia$64,800310
Maine$64,340160
New Mexico$64,100270
Colorado$63,700440
Connecticut$63,470900
Delaware$63,260120
Oregon$63,1403,850
Arizona$61,9001,070
Illinois$61,8202,200
Maryland$61,620670
Wyoming$61,59040
Minnesota$61,2301,160
Hawaii$61,050720
Wisconsin$60,950770
North Dakota$60,680120
Iowa$60,630370
Georgia$60,5301,380
South Dakota$59,860140
Rhode Island$59,660230
North Carolina$59,6001,430
Idaho$59,570150
Montana$59,550680
Texas$59,4803,180
Ohio$59,1602,020
Oklahoma$59,110510
Indiana$59,0201,060
Kentucky$58,920410
Missouri$58,740920
New York$58,5807,790
Pennsylvania$58,3002,150
Nebraska$57,520270
Tennessee$57,260710
Florida$56,9403,560
South Carolina$56,630450
Michigan$56,4901,880
Alaska$55,780150
Virginia$55,4301,220
Louisiana$54,140400
Mississippi$52,450250
Kansas$52,130450
Alabama$50,180850
Arkansas$49,070350
West Virginia$48,460290

How to become a pastor

BLS describes the typical path into Clergy this way[6]:

In an ONET survey of 20 workers, 48% said a master's degree was required, 18% said a bachelor's degree, 15% said some college courses, 12% said a high school diploma or equivalent and 5% said a doctoral degree[16]. That is a small survey, so read it as a rough picture only. ONET places the job in Job Zone Five, which means extensive preparation is needed[17].

What pastors do

O*NET describes clergy as people who lead worship and other spiritual functions of a faith, and who give spiritual and moral guidance to members[18]. Job titles that workers report include bishop, chaplain, imam, minister, priest and rabbi[7]. Common tasks include:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of clergy to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 242,000 to 247,800 jobs, a change of 5,700[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[20]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. The OEWS count of about 57,200 jobs covers wage and salary jobs only, so the two numbers measure different things[21].

About 19,200 openings are projected each year, on average[5]. Openings count jobs that come open when people retire or change occupations, as well as brand new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.8% of workers leave the labor force and 3.8% move to a different occupation[22]. In 2025, 5.7% of clergy were self-employed[23].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show median pay above the all-occupations median[1][4], with a wide range between the lowest- and highest-paid workers[3]. Typical entry is a bachelor's degree with moderate-term on-the-job training[6]. Growth is projected to be a little slower than for all occupations[2][20]. The work centers on worship, teaching and counseling people[19]. These figures do not say how long training takes, what it costs or what any one faith requires, so check that with the group you would serve.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a pastor make a year?
BLS reports a median of $60,810 a year for clergy in May 2025, and a mean of $66,860[1][8].
How much does a pastor make an hour?
The median was $29.24 an hour and the mean was $32.15 an hour[1][8].
What degree do you need to be a pastor?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[6]. In an O*NET survey of 20 workers, 48% said a master's degree was required[16].
What is the highest paying state for pastors?
Washington had the highest median at $80,830, ahead of California at $77,710[12].
Is the clergy job outlook good?
BLS projects 2.4% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 19,200 openings a year[2][20][5].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Clergy in the US was $60,810 per year and $29.24 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Clergy is projected to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 242,000 to 247,800 jobs (a change of +5,700). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Clergy: 10th percentile $37,860, 25th percentile $48,260, 75th percentile $76,640, 90th percentile $98,890. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 19,200 openings for Clergy are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Clergy: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. O*NET 21-2011.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Bishop, Chaplain, Children's Minister, Imam, Minister, Pastor, Priest, Rabbi. O*NET OnLine
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Clergy was $66,860 per year and $32.15 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Clergy: 10th percentile $18.20, 25th percentile $23.20, 75th percentile $36.85, 90th percentile $47.54. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Clergy in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Clergy jobs: New York 7,790; California 7,110; Oregon 3,850; Florida 3,560; Texas 3,180. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Clergy (areas with at least 100 jobs): Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $81,750; Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $78,330; Salem, OR $78,220; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $77,510; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $77,450; Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $77,050; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $76,720; Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $74,800. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Clergy jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 6,110 (median $61,860); Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 1,750 (median $65,710); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 1,690 (median $61,820); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 1,130 (median $74,580); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 990 (median $58,470); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 950 (median $63,430). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 21-2011.00 survey of workers (20 respondents), education level they say is required: Master's Degree 48%, Bachelor's Degree 18%, Some College Courses 15%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 12%, Doctoral Degree 5% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET 21-2011.00: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Clergy. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Clergy. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 57,200 people were employed as Clergy in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Clergy: 3.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections: 5.7% of Clergy were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.