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How Much Does a Clergy Make?

A clergy in the US earns a median salary of $60,810 a year, or $29.24 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $66,860, and the middle half earn between $48,260 and $76,640.

Median a year $60,810
Median an hour $29.24
Median a month $5,068
Average a year $66,860

Clergy pay range

What clergy earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $37,860 $18.20
25th $48,260 $23.20
Median (50th) $60,810 $29.24
75th $76,640 $36.85
90th (top 10%) $98,890 $47.54

The median is 19% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 57,200 people work as clergy in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,169
Every two weeks
$2,339
Twice a month
$2,534
A month
$5,068

At the median salary, before tax.

Clergy salary by state

Sorted by average pay. California pays clergy the most, at $87,150 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
California $87,150 $77,710 7,110 After tax
Washington $81,460 $80,830 1,060 After tax
New York $73,790 $58,580 7,790 After tax
Massachusetts $73,510 $72,190 840 After tax
Connecticut $72,100 $63,470 900 After tax
District of Columbia $71,770 $64,800 310 After tax
Nevada $71,420 $73,910 210 After tax
North Dakota $70,050 $60,680 120 After tax
Vermont $68,540 $64,950 50 After tax
Arizona $68,350 $61,900 1,070 After tax
Oregon $68,130 $63,140 3,850 After tax
New Hampshire $67,750 $65,200 100 After tax
New Mexico $66,370 $64,100 270 After tax
Colorado $66,160 $63,700 440 After tax
Delaware $65,850 $63,260 120 After tax
New Jersey $65,740 $65,500 1,460 After tax
Maine $64,070 $64,340 160 After tax
Maryland $63,980 $61,620 670 After tax
Wisconsin $63,730 $60,950 770 After tax
Montana $63,190 $59,550 680 After tax
Hawaii $63,040 $61,050 720 After tax
Illinois $62,490 $61,820 2,200 After tax
Texas $62,430 $59,480 3,180 After tax
Minnesota $61,870 $61,230 1,160 After tax
Wyoming $61,240 $61,590 40 After tax
North Carolina $61,130 $59,600 1,430 After tax
Georgia $60,880 $60,530 1,380 After tax
Missouri $60,750 $58,740 920 After tax
Oklahoma $60,710 $59,110 510 After tax
Iowa $60,200 $60,630 370 After tax
South Dakota $60,180 $59,860 140 After tax
Florida $59,110 $56,940 3,560 After tax
Rhode Island $58,750 $59,660 230 After tax
South Carolina $58,590 $56,630 450 After tax
Tennessee $58,550 $57,260 710 After tax
Indiana $58,400 $59,020 1,060 After tax
Kentucky $58,370 $58,920 410 After tax
Ohio $58,320 $59,160 2,020 After tax
Nebraska $57,610 $57,520 270 After tax
Pennsylvania $57,480 $58,300 2,150 After tax
Idaho $57,470 $59,570 150 After tax
Virginia $57,350 $55,430 1,220 After tax
Mississippi $56,880 $52,450 250 After tax
Michigan $55,620 $56,490 1,880 After tax
Alaska $54,750 $55,780 150 After tax
Louisiana $54,690 $54,140 400 After tax
Alabama $53,790 $50,180 850 After tax
Arkansas $52,160 $49,070 350 After tax
Kansas $51,970 $52,130 450 After tax
West Virginia $51,130 $48,460 290 After tax
Guam $46,110 $37,460 30
Puerto Rico $31,690 $28,880 290

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other community and social service jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Clergy” (SOC 21-2011). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a clergy make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a clergy is $29.24, and the average is $32.15. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $18.20 an hour and the top 10% over $47.54.

How much does a clergy make a month?

At the median salary of $60,810, a clergy earns about $5,068 a month before tax, or $2,339 every two weeks.

Which state pays clergy the most?

California has the highest average pay for a clergy, at $87,150 a year. Next are Washington and New York. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a clergy?

The lowest-paid 10% of clergy earn less than $37,860 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $48,260. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid clergy make?

The top 10% earn more than $98,890 a year, and the top 25% more than $76,640.