21 Series · SOC 21-2011

Clergy Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$60,810
Median / year
+0%
2024→2025
$98,890
Top 10% earn
+1%
Growth '24–'34
57,200
Estimated US jobs

Clergy earn a median of $60,810 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $60,810, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $37,860 (10th percentile) to $98,890 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 57,200 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Washington ($80,830).

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The pay verdict

Clergy earn a median of $60,810, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 49% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Community and Social Service, it ranks #7 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1% by 2034.

$60,810
Median annual wage
Top 51%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#7 of 17
in Community and Social Service
2.6×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Washington at $80,830. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Clergy moved from $50,400 in May 2019 to $60,810 in May 2025 (+20.7%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Clergy sits -3.8 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Clergy (SOC 21-2011) has a national median of $60,810 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $37,860 to $98,890, and the published mean is $66,860. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 57,200 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 52 state or territory areas and 292 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $60,820 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $60,810 in May 2025, a fall of $10 (+0%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as slower than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 23,000 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Community and Social Service Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $80,830, which is +33% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA at $84,050. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 57,200 jobs Median $60,810/yr

Median Salary

$60,810

per year

Median Hourly

$29.24/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$66,860

average

Employment

57,200

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Clergy pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$60,810 Bottom 49% higher than 49% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 (this entry) 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$60,810 · 49th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 21-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Clergy; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 17 21-series occupations with growth data, Clergy sits on the slower-growing side at +1% growth and $60,810 median pay. Scatter plot of 17 data points. $40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Substance Abuse, Beh… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 16.8% · Median annual wage: $59350Social and Human Ser… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $45930Child, Family, and S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $59550Educational, Guidanc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.5% · Median annual wage: $64330Healthcare Social Wo… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7.7% · Median annual wage: $67880Mental Health and Su… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 9.7% · Median annual wage: $60280Community and Social… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $56730Rehabilitation Couns… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.4% · Median annual wage: $46850Probation Officers a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.6% · Median annual wage: $66270Marriage and Family … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.6% · Median annual wage: $66940Health Education Spe… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $64070Social Workers, All … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.9% · Median annual wage: $71900Community Health Wor… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 11.3% · Median annual wage: $51850Clergy - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $60810Counselors, All Other - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.6% · Median annual wage: $50860Directors, Religious… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.1% · Median annual wage: $52100Religious Workers, A… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.6% · Median annual wage: $45280
Among 17 21-series occupations with growth data, Clergy sits on the slower-growing side at +1% growth and $60,810 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Substance Abuse, Beh…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 16.8%, Median annual wage $59350
  • Social and Human Ser…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45930
  • Child, Family, and S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $59550
  • Educational, Guidanc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $64330
  • Healthcare Social Wo…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.7%, Median annual wage $67880
  • Mental Health and Su…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.7%, Median annual wage $60280
  • Community and Social…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $56730
  • Rehabilitation Couns…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.4%, Median annual wage $46850
  • Probation Officers a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $66270
  • Marriage and Family …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.6%, Median annual wage $66940
  • Health Education Spe…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64070
  • Social Workers, All …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.9%, Median annual wage $71900
  • Community Health Wor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.3%, Median annual wage $51850
  • Clergy: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $60810
  • Counselors, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.6%, Median annual wage $50860
  • Directors, Religious…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.1%, Median annual wage $52100
  • Religious Workers, A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $45280

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+1%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

23,000

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+2,600

262,000 (2024) → 264,600 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Community and Social Service Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.3/100K

Injury Rate

0.5/100

Danger Index

2.2/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Clergy roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Speaking 4.8
Active Listening 4.3
Social Perceptiveness 4.1
Instructing 4.0
Service Orientation 4.0
Reading Comprehension 3.9
Writing 3.9
Persuasion 3.9
Judgment and Decision Making 3.9
Time Management 3.9

Knowledge Areas

Philosophy and Theology 4.7
English Language 4.2
Administration and Management 4.1
Customer and Personal Service 4.0
Education and Training 3.8
Therapy and Counseling 3.8
Communications and Media 3.7
Psychology 3.7
Sociology and Anthropology 3.6
Personnel and Human Resources 3.5

Key Tasks

  • Pray and promote spirituality.
  • Prepare and deliver sermons or other talks.
  • Read from sacred texts, such as the Bible, Torah, or Koran.
  • Organize and lead regular religious services.
  • Instruct people who seek conversion to a particular faith.
  • Share information about religious issues by writing articles, giving speeches, or teaching.
  • Counsel individuals or groups concerning their spiritual, emotional, or personal needs.
  • Administer religious rites or ordinances.
  • Prepare people for participation in religious ceremonies.
  • Visit people in homes, hospitals, or prisons to provide them with comfort and support.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$37,860
25th$48,260
Median$60,810
75th$76,640
90th$98,890

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$18.20
25th$23.20
Median$29.24
75th$36.85
90th$47.54

Clergy pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$40,000$45,000$50,000$55,000$60,000$65,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $44,250National median - 2016: $45,740National median - 2017: $47,100National median - 2018: $48,990National median - 2019: $50,400National median - 2020: $51,940National median - 2021: $49,720National median - 2022: $55,550National median - 2023: $58,920National median - 2024: $60,820National median - 2025: $60,810$60,810
National median annual wage for Clergy, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $44,250
2016 $45,740
2017 $47,100
2018 $48,990
2019 $50,400
2020 $51,940
2021 $49,720
2022 $55,550
2023 $58,920
2024 $60,820
2025 $60,810

2015 median

$44,250

2025 median

$60,810

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$10,410 (+20.7%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+3.2%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Clergy by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $44,250 First banked release 48,250
May 2016 $45,740 +3.4% 49,320
May 2017 $47,100 +3.0% 49,850
May 2018 $48,990 +4.0% 50,960
May 2019 $50,400 Classification break 53,180
May 2020 $51,940 +3.1% 52,260
May 2021 $49,720 -4.3% 50,790
May 2022 $55,550 +11.7% 53,140
May 2023 $58,920 +6.1% 56,640
May 2024 $60,820 +3.2% 58,080
May 2025 $60,810 +0.0% 57,200

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $44,250 in May 2015 to $60,810 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.2% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 53,180 in May 2019 to 57,200 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 52 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Washington $80,830 +33% above national
2 California $77,710 +28% above national
3 Nevada $73,910 +22% above national
4 Massachusetts $72,190 +19% above national
5 New Jersey $65,500 +8% above national
6 New Hampshire $65,200 +7% above national
7 Vermont $64,950 +7% above national
8 District of Columbia $64,800 +7% above national
9 Maine $64,340 +6% above national
10 New Mexico $64,100 +5% above national
11 Colorado $63,700 +5% above national
12 Connecticut $63,470 +4% above national
13 Delaware $63,260 +4% above national
14 Oregon $63,140 +4% above national
15 Arizona $61,900 +2% above national
16 Illinois $61,820 +2% above national
17 Maryland $61,620 +1% above national
18 Wyoming $61,590 +1% above national
19 Minnesota $61,230 +1% above national
20 Hawaii $61,050 same as national
21 Wisconsin $60,950 same as national
22 North Dakota $60,680 same as national
23 Iowa $60,630 same as national
24 Georgia $60,530 same as national
25 South Dakota $59,860 2% below national
26 Rhode Island $59,660 2% below national
27 North Carolina $59,600 2% below national
28 Idaho $59,570 2% below national
29 Montana $59,550 2% below national
30 Texas $59,480 2% below national
31 Ohio $59,160 3% below national
32 Oklahoma $59,110 3% below national
33 Indiana $59,020 3% below national
34 Kentucky $58,920 3% below national
35 Missouri $58,740 3% below national
36 New York $58,580 4% below national
37 Pennsylvania $58,300 4% below national
38 Nebraska $57,520 5% below national
39 Tennessee $57,260 6% below national
40 Florida $56,940 6% below national
41 South Carolina $56,630 7% below national
42 Michigan $56,490 7% below national
43 Alaska $55,780 8% below national
44 Virginia $55,430 9% below national
45 Louisiana $54,140 11% below national
46 Mississippi $52,450 14% below national
47 Kansas $52,130 14% below national
48 Alabama $50,180 17% below national
49 Arkansas $49,070 19% below national
50 West Virginia $48,460 20% below national
51 Guam $37,460 38% below national
52 Puerto Rico $28,880 53% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 221 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $84,050 +38% above national
2 Bozeman, MT $81,770 +34% above national
3 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $81,750 +34% above national
4 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $81,280 +34% above national
5 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $80,760 +33% above national
6 Vallejo, CA $79,590 +31% above national
7 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $78,330 +29% above national
8 Salem, OR $78,220 +29% above national
9 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $77,510 +27% above national
10 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $77,450 +27% above national
11 Kennewick-Richland, WA $77,420 +27% above national
12 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $77,050 +27% above national
13 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $77,030 +27% above national
14 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $76,720 +26% above national
15 Stockton-Lodi, CA $75,020 +23% above national
16 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $74,800 +23% above national
17 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $74,580 +23% above national
18 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $73,770 +21% above national
19 Salinas, CA $73,770 +21% above national
20 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $73,160 +20% above national
21 Worcester, MA $72,300 +19% above national
22 Corvallis, OR $71,130 +17% above national
23 Fresno, CA $71,130 +17% above national
24 Billings, MT $70,660 +16% above national
25 Waco, TX $70,300 +16% above national
26 Albuquerque, NM $70,160 +15% above national
27 Grants Pass, OR $69,990 +15% above national
28 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $69,940 +15% above national
29 Springfield, MA $69,900 +15% above national
30 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $69,280 +14% above national
31 Boulder, CO $68,800 +13% above national
32 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $67,640 +11% above national
33 St. Cloud, MN $66,280 +9% above national
34 Portland-South Portland, ME $65,790 +8% above national
35 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $65,710 +8% above national
36 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $65,670 +8% above national
37 Modesto, CA $65,360 +7% above national
38 New Haven, CT $65,290 +7% above national
39 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $65,150 +7% above national
40 Redding, CA $64,640 +6% above national
41 Visalia, CA $64,240 +6% above national
42 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $64,060 +5% above national
43 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $63,430 +4% above national
44 Rochester, MN $63,430 +4% above national
45 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $63,190 +4% above national
46 Naples-Marco Island, FL $63,070 +4% above national
47 Boise City, ID $63,040 +4% above national
48 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $63,000 +4% above national
49 Elmira, NY $62,780 +3% above national
50 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $62,760 +3% above national
51 Fargo, ND-MN $62,730 +3% above national
52 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $62,670 +3% above national
53 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $62,610 +3% above national
54 Albany, OR $62,540 +3% above national
55 Champaign-Urbana, IL $62,540 +3% above national
56 Tucson, AZ $62,400 +3% above national
57 Charlottesville, VA $62,370 +3% above national
58 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $61,970 +2% above national
59 Medford, OR $61,860 +2% above national
60 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $61,860 +2% above national
61 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $61,820 +2% above national
62 Green Bay, WI $61,820 +2% above national
63 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $61,730 +2% above national
64 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $61,640 +1% above national
65 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $61,640 +1% above national
66 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $61,630 +1% above national
67 Helena, MT $61,520 +1% above national
68 Rockford, IL $61,510 +1% above national
69 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $61,410 +1% above national
70 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $61,390 +1% above national
71 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $61,170 +1% above national
72 Winston-Salem, NC $61,160 +1% above national
73 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $61,030 same as national
74 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $61,010 same as national
75 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $60,970 same as national
76 Oklahoma City, OK $60,910 same as national
77 Madison, WI $60,900 same as national
78 Columbus, OH $60,820 same as national
79 Akron, OH $60,810 same as national
80 Asheville, NC $60,790 same as national
81 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $60,760 same as national
82 Missoula, MT $60,730 same as national
83 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $60,720 same as national
84 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $60,690 same as national
85 Urban Honolulu, HI $60,540 same as national
86 Eugene-Springfield, OR $60,520 same as national
87 Utica-Rome, NY $60,460 1% below national
88 Killeen-Temple, TX $60,380 1% below national
89 Fort Wayne, IN $60,360 1% below national
90 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $60,340 1% below national
91 St. Louis, MO-IL $60,290 1% below national
92 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $60,230 1% below national
93 Richmond, VA $60,190 1% below national
94 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $60,170 1% below national
95 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $60,040 1% below national
96 Amarillo, TX $59,910 1% below national
97 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $59,890 2% below national
98 San Angelo, TX $59,870 2% below national
99 Bend, OR $59,850 2% below national
100 Canton-Massillon, OH $59,810 2% below national
101 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $59,800 2% below national
102 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $59,780 2% below national
103 College Station-Bryan, TX $59,740 2% below national
104 Rochester, NY $59,710 2% below national
105 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $59,700 2% below national
106 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $59,650 2% below national
107 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $59,630 2% below national
108 Colorado Springs, CO $59,620 2% below national
109 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $59,610 2% below national
110 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $59,570 2% below national
111 Athens-Clarke County, GA $59,530 2% below national
112 Lancaster, PA $59,530 2% below national
113 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $59,510 2% below national
114 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $59,240 3% below national
115 Lexington-Fayette, KY $59,220 3% below national
116 Cleveland, OH $59,210 3% below national
117 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $59,200 3% below national
118 Great Falls, MT $59,130 3% below national
119 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $59,120 3% below national
120 Chattanooga, TN-GA $59,040 3% below national
121 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $59,000 3% below national
122 Tulsa, OK $59,000 3% below national
123 Reading, PA $58,950 3% below national
124 Kansas City, MO-KS $58,850 3% below national
125 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $58,820 3% below national
126 Youngstown-Warren, OH $58,780 3% below national
127 Raleigh-Cary, NC $58,770 3% below national
128 Ithaca, NY $58,750 3% below national
129 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $58,610 4% below national
130 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $58,470 4% below national
131 Evansville, IN $58,430 4% below national
132 Anchorage, AK $58,280 4% below national
133 Toledo, OH $58,260 4% below national
134 Corpus Christi, TX $58,210 4% below national
135 Omaha, NE-IA $58,170 4% below national
136 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $58,050 5% below national
137 Columbia, SC $57,990 5% below national
138 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $57,900 5% below national
139 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $57,850 5% below national
140 Lubbock, TX $57,820 5% below national
141 Morgantown, WV $57,810 5% below national
142 Lincoln, NE $57,790 5% below national
143 Pittsburgh, PA $57,720 5% below national
144 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $57,710 5% below national
145 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $57,430 6% below national
146 Cedar Rapids, IA $57,320 6% below national
147 Columbus, GA-AL $57,210 6% below national
148 Wilmington, NC $57,190 6% below national
149 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $57,160 6% below national
150 Knoxville, TN $57,140 6% below national
151 Jackson, MS $57,110 6% below national
152 Greensboro-High Point, NC $56,970 6% below national
153 Baton Rouge, LA $56,810 7% below national
154 Bay City, MI $56,810 7% below national
155 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $56,760 7% below national
156 El Paso, TX $56,450 7% below national
157 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $56,420 7% below national
158 Spartanburg, SC $56,400 7% below national
159 Jacksonville, FL $56,330 7% below national
160 Gainesville, FL $56,270 7% below national
161 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $56,240 8% below national
162 Peoria, IL $56,080 8% below national
163 Saginaw, MI $55,970 8% below national
164 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $55,950 8% below national
165 Fayetteville, NC $55,540 9% below national
166 Kingston, NY $55,380 9% below national
167 Columbia, MO $55,280 9% below national
168 Greenville, NC $55,280 9% below national
169 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $55,110 9% below national
170 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $55,070 9% below national
171 Jackson, MI $54,870 10% below national
172 Wichita, KS $54,870 10% below national
173 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $54,840 10% below national
174 Huntsville, AL $54,550 10% below national
175 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $54,360 11% below national
176 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $54,350 11% below national
177 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $54,140 11% below national
178 Ann Arbor, MI $54,000 11% below national
179 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $53,870 11% below national
180 Duluth, MN-WI $53,770 12% below national
181 Savannah, GA $53,650 12% below national
182 Traverse City, MI $53,640 12% below national
183 Macon-Bibb County, GA $53,540 12% below national
184 Johnson City, TN $53,390 12% below national
185 Roanoke, VA $53,130 13% below national
186 Bloomington, IL $52,650 13% below national
187 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $52,420 14% below national
188 Birmingham, AL $52,190 14% below national
189 Topeka, KS $52,170 14% below national
190 Springfield, MO $52,130 14% below national
191 Springfield, IL $52,070 14% below national
192 Binghamton, NY $51,990 15% below national
193 Hattiesburg, MS $51,670 15% below national
194 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $51,670 15% below national
195 Montgomery, AL $50,860 16% below national
196 Altoona, PA $50,830 16% below national
197 Tyler, TX $50,800 16% below national
198 Lebanon, PA $50,560 17% below national
199 Charleston, WV $50,520 17% below national
200 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $50,410 17% below national
201 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $50,330 17% below national
202 York-Hanover, PA $50,200 17% below national
203 Mobile, AL $49,850 18% below national
204 Glens Falls, NY $49,800 18% below national
205 Flint, MI $49,460 19% below national
206 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $49,410 19% below national
207 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $49,330 19% below national
208 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $49,160 19% below national
209 Syracuse, NY $48,770 20% below national
210 Tallahassee, FL $47,580 22% below national
211 Abilene, TX $47,380 22% below national
212 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $46,400 24% below national
213 Lafayette, LA $45,760 25% below national
214 Port St. Lucie, FL $45,570 25% below national
215 Midland, MI $45,450 25% below national
216 Ocala, FL $44,280 27% below national
217 Erie, PA $44,040 28% below national
218 Lynchburg, VA $43,990 28% below national
219 Johnstown, PA $41,760 31% below national
220 Wheeling, WV-OH $37,390 39% below national
221 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $29,580 51% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 21 (Community and Social Service Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 16 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Community and Social Service Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($60,810 here) and reported employment (57,200 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Clergy make?
The median annual salary for Clergy is $60,810 ($29.24/hour). The salary range spans from $37,860 at the 10th percentile to $98,890 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Clergy pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $60,810, Clergy pay is higher than 49% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Clergy the most?
Washington pays the highest median salary for Clergy at $80,830/year, which is +33% above the national median.
What education do Clergy need?
BLS assigns Clergy to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Clergy?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Clergy in this release. WageDex shows the Community and Social Service Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Clergy a good career?
Employment for Clergy is projected to grow 1% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 23,000 openings are projected each year.
How does Clergy pay vary by state?
Clergy salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Washington at $80,830/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $28,880/year. BLS data covers 52 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Clergy?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA at $84,050/year. BLS reports a median for 221 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Clergy pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $76,640/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $80,830/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.