The average pastoral salary in the United States is . . . $55,910 . . . no, wait: it’s $57,230 . . . or perhaps it’s $68,951. That’s right: it’s complicated. (These three figures were provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, JustChurchJobs.com, and PushPay, respectively).
When it comes to reporting on the average pastor’s salary (as opposed to the richest pastors in the word) the challenge is not transparency, but the word “average.” What’s average? Lifeway reports that, although the “average” church building is designed to hold 200 people, the median average for church attendance each Sunday is 65 people. That’s right: 50% of all churches in America are composed of less than 65 people each Sunday. So, is the “average” pastor’s salary” for the person who leads the average church? Or is the average pastor’s salary the mean average of all minister’s salaries everywhere (including the big-name celebrity pastors listed above)? Finally — what about the selfless bi-vocational pastors who often serve for little–or no–compensation at all?
Perhaps the best approach is one provided by Jobted.com, which reports an average mean salary of $51,140 but also reports on a range of average salaries:
“A Pastor can expect an average starting salary of $27,360. The highest salaries can exceed $87,380.”
It’s quite a wide range, but when you consider the variables of church size, years of experience, and locations around the U.S., this is perhaps the most reason estimate available.
Their breakdown includes:
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- Low: $27,360
- Middle: $51,140
- Senior Pastor: 65,380
- High: 87,380
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What about you? How much do you receive? Before you answer consider the possible non-salary elements such as a parsonage, educational stipend, year-end bonuses.
Finally, it’s wise to remeber that the pastor’s calling is just that: a calling. While any church should use sound business practices to administrate God’s Kingdom, each person called into ministry ultinate labors for the Lord, who longs to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
