Clergy: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Stan T.Career, Overview

Clergy

Clergy 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.

Salary
$56560
Becoming One
Very Hard
Education
Master's degree
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality
Interest Match



Job description

Clergy 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.

  • Pray and promote spirituality.
  • Read from sacred texts, such as the Bible, Torah, or Koran.
  • Prepare and deliver sermons or other talks.
  • Organize and lead regular religious services.
Read more about what does a Clergy really do at work and what is it like being and working as one.



Salary

Average salary
$53290 per year

Average hourly wage
$26 per hour


Clergy with little to no experience tend to make between $26160 and $35480 while the more experienced ones can earn over $63930 per year.

Top 5 paying states Hourly Annual
CA $32 $67,140
WA $30 $62,240
DC $30 $61,500
MA $29 $60,600
CT $28 $59,250

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Clergy is to move to a higher paying state like CA. Right now, the highest paying states for Clergy are CA, WA, DC, MA and CT.

However, a higher pay at CA doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at CA might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Clergy is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.


Requirements

Recommended degree level
Master’s degree

We asked other Clergy what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a Master’s Degree followed by a Bachelor’s Degree.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Theology/Theological Studies
Divinity/Ministry
Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies
Rabbinical Studies
Theological and Ministerial Studies, Other
Read more about how to become a Clergy and the degree, training and education you need.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Clergy.

PROS
Suitable for people who likes to help and teach others
Suitable for people who values achievements and are results-oriented
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
Demand for this career is growing fast
CONS
Not suitable for people who likes practical and hands-on work
Salary is below average
It is very hard to get into this career. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience is required for this career.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction
90%

Is this job meaningful
98%


90% of Clergy said they were satisfied with their job and 98% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.


Is this right for me

Best personality for this career
The Helpers and The Artists

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.



Learn more about Clergy

Summary (You are here)
Job Description
Salary
Requirements
Quiz

Related career information

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