Clergy Salary
Community and Social Service Occupations · 57K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$60,810
Median hourly
$29
Average annual
$66,860
Typical range
$37,860–$98,890
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Clergy is $60,810 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $29 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Conduct religious worship and perform other spiritual functions associated with beliefs and practices of religious faith or denomination. Provide spiritual and moral guidance and assistance to members..
Most earn between $37,860 and $98,890 a year. There are roughly 57K people employed as clergy in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Clergy.
- Hourly
- $29.24
- Daily
- $234
- Weekly
- $1,169
- Bi-weekly
- $2,339
- Monthly
- $5,068
- Annual
- $60,810
$60,810 a year is around the 50th percentile for Clergys. The median is $60,810.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Washington$80,830
- 2California$77,710
- 3Nevada$73,910
- 4Massachusetts$72,190
- 5New Jersey$65,500
- 6New Hampshire$65,200
- 7Vermont$64,950
- 8District of Columbia$64,800
- 9Maine$64,340
- 10New Mexico$64,100
- 11Colorado$63,700
- 12Connecticut$63,470
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$84,050
- 2Bozeman, MT$81,770
- 3Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$81,750
- 4Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$81,280
- 5Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$80,760
- 6Vallejo, CA$79,590
- 7Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$78,330
- 8Salem, OR$78,220
- 9San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$77,510
- 10San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$77,450
- 11Kennewick-Richland, WA$77,420
- 12Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$77,050
Related job titles
Employers advertise Clergy roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Directors, Religious Activities and Education$52,100
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers$59,550
- Social and Human Service Assistants$45,930
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$64,330
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$105,870
- Marriage and Family Therapists$66,940
- Community Health Workers$51,850
- Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary$80,260
What a Clergy does
- Pray and promote spirituality.
- Prepare and deliver sermons or other talks.
- Share information about religious issues by writing articles, giving speeches, or teaching.
- Administer religious rites or ordinances.
- Prepare people for participation in religious ceremonies.
- Plan or lead religious education programs.
- Perform administrative duties, such as overseeing building management, ordering supplies, contracting for services or repairs, or supervising the work of staff members or volunteers.
- Participate in fundraising activities to support congregational activities or facilities.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Clergy make?
- The median annual wage for Clergy is $60,810 ($29 per hour). Pay ranges from about $37,860 at the 10th percentile to $98,890 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Clergy?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $66,860, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Clergys the most?
- Washington has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $80,830.
- Is Clergy a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 57K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Clergy do?
- Pray and promote spirituality.; Prepare and deliver sermons or other talks.; Share information about religious issues by writing articles, giving speeches, or teaching..