Average Salary for Clergy
SOC 21-2011 · Community and Social Service Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Clergy in the United States is $60,820 ($29.24/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $37,140 at the 10th percentile to $99,720 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 58,080 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 38.4% since 2014.
Median Annual
$60,820
Mean Annual
$67,160
10th Pct
$37,140
75th Pct
$76,340
Employment
58,080
Salary Distribution
$37k
10th
$47k
25th
$61k
Median
$76k
75th
$100k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $92,860 |
| Vallejo, CA | $83,550 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $83,210 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $80,370 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $79,590 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $78,790 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $78,280 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $77,370 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $77,100 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $76,760 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $76,540 |
| Salem, OR | $75,830 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $75,450 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $75,410 |
| Salinas, CA | $75,090 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| California | $77,850 |
| Washington | $77,530 |
| Virgin Islands | $75,600 |
| Nevada | $70,150 |
| Massachusetts | $67,830 |
| Vermont | $66,860 |
| New Hampshire | $66,670 |
| Georgia | $65,510 |
| Minnesota | $65,350 |
| Connecticut | $65,040 |
| District of Columbia | $64,990 |
| Hawaii | $64,010 |
| Colorado | $63,980 |
| Wyoming | $63,860 |
| New Jersey | $63,530 |
| Oregon | $63,370 |
| Maine | $63,180 |
| Wisconsin | $62,770 |
| Arizona | $62,380 |
| Rhode Island | $62,340 |
| Idaho | $61,420 |
| Delaware | $61,250 |
| Illinois | $60,290 |
| Missouri | $59,980 |
| Texas | $59,550 |
| North Carolina | $59,530 |
| Florida | $59,430 |
| Iowa | $59,270 |
| Ohio | $59,220 |
| South Carolina | $59,170 |
| New York | $58,980 |
| Montana | $58,970 |
| Kentucky | $58,610 |
| North Dakota | $58,140 |
| Maryland | $58,030 |
| Kansas | $57,610 |
| Indiana | $57,580 |
| New Mexico | $57,490 |
| Louisiana | $57,370 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,540 |
| Oklahoma | $56,480 |
| Virginia | $56,170 |
| South Dakota | $55,080 |
| Alaska | $55,040 |
| Michigan | $54,160 |
| Nebraska | $53,550 |
| Tennessee | $51,580 |
| Arkansas | $51,240 |
| Mississippi | $50,500 |
| Alabama | $50,050 |
| West Virginia | $36,600 |
| Guam | $34,440 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,770 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Clergy broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $99,920 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $99,920 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services | $94,830 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | $80,930 |
| Real Estate | $80,460 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | $80,460 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $77,380 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $77,380 |
| Child Care Services | $75,840 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $75,800 |
| Offices of Physicians | $75,500 |
| Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations | $74,750 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $74,750 |
| Retail Trade | $73,980 |
| Food Manufacturing | $72,530 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | $72,530 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $71,050 |
| Manufacturing | $70,290 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $67,480 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $65,580 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $64,120 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $64,120 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $64,120 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $63,950 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $63,850 |
| Hospitals | $63,790 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $63,760 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $63,320 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $63,230 |
| Broadcasting and Content Providers | $62,930 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $62,750 |
| Home Health Care Services | $62,510 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $62,500 |
| Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers | $62,480 |
| Information | $61,520 |
| Employment Services | $61,050 |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | $60,940 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $60,630 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $60,490 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $60,400 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $59,550 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $59,320 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $59,190 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $59,090 |
| Temporary Help Services | $59,060 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $58,570 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $58,550 |
| Religious Organizations | $58,290 |
| Facilities Support Services | $57,310 |
| Educational Services | $56,760 |
| Educational Services | $56,450 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $56,170 |
| Individual and Family Services | $56,090 |
| Social Assistance | $54,740 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $53,970 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $53,970 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $53,970 |
| Educational Support Services | $51,960 |
| Other Personal Services | $49,770 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services | $49,400 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $48,520 |
| Special Food Services | $48,520 |
| Food Services and Drinking Places | $48,520 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities | $48,310 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $47,900 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $47,580 |
| Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | $46,150 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $43,000 |
| Death Care Services | $37,010 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $60,820 |
| 2023 | $58,920 |
| 2022 | $55,550 |
| 2021 | $49,720 |
| 2020 | $51,940 |
| 2019 | $50,400 |
| 2018 | $48,990 |
| 2017 | $47,100 |
| 2016 | $45,740 |
| 2015 | $44,250 |
| 2014 | $43,950 |