2026 Church Staff Salary Report
Church job postings with yearly pay read October 19, 2026 have a median of $65,000, from $15,000 to $125,000. The federal median for clergy is $60,810.
Free. The page below shows the main tables. The PDF adds job categories, every federal occupation pairing, every state, a one-page summary for your committee and a compensation worksheet.
Median yearly pay
$65,000$15,000 to $125,000.
Federal clergy median
$60,810May 2025, 57,200 workers.
Posted yearly pay by role
The table groups postings that state a yearly salary by the words in the posted title. Where a church posted a range, the table uses the midpoint.
| Role | Lowest | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior or lead pastor | $58,000 | $70,000 | $120,000 |
| Youth pastor or student ministry | $48,000 | $55,000 | $85,000 |
| Worship pastor, leader or director | $50,750 | $67,750 | $85,000 |
| Children's ministry | $15,000 | $63,500 | $74,500 |
| Executive pastor, administrator, business manager or finance | $51,500 | $100,000 | $125,000 |
| Technical director or audio, video and lighting | $76,560 | $79,530 | $82,500 |
| All postings that state yearly pay | $15,000 | $65,000 | $125,000 |
Senior and lead pastors run from $58,000 to $120,000. Small samples describe the advertised roles and do not set a market rate.
Posted yearly pay by region
| Census region | Lowest | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | $60,000 | $65,750 | $105,000 |
| Midwest | $15,000 | $65,000 | $100,000 |
| South | $50,000 | $59,000 | $125,000 |
| West | $48,000 | $83,750 | $120,000 |
The West has the highest posted median and the South the lowest, and the regional samples are small. Federal clergy wages point the same way. They run from $48,460 in West Virginia to $80,830 in Washington. The five highest medians are in Washington, California, Nevada, Massachusetts, New Jersey. The five lowest are in West Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi.
What the federal data says
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has no table called church staff. Its clergy category is the closest match for pastors, and its directors of religious activities category is the closest for ministry directors. The PDF pairs church roles with the federal occupation that does the same work, from church secretary to sound technician, so a church can see what the wider market pays. The clergy figures leave out meal and lodging payments, so they can sit under what a church that provides housing really spends.
| Church role | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pastor, priest or minister | $37,860 | $60,810 | $98,890 | 57,200 |
| Youth, children's or adult ministry director | $34,670 | $52,100 | $98,310 | 22,160 |
| Other religious staff | $31,200 | $45,280 | $93,900 | 15,760 |
| Music director | $39,880 | $73,710 | $165,760 | 12,540 |
Four of the pairings are shown here. Denominations that set minimums give a second reference. The Presbytery of the Miami Valley set a 2026 minimum effective salary of $58,182 for a pastor without a manse, and the Presbytery of Carlisle set a 2026 minimum of $62,687 in its terms of call.
How the report defines posted pay
The report reads the church job postings in the Church Posting directory on October 19, 2026. Pay is the structured pay field. A posted range counts at its midpoint. The report excludes non-staff roles and implausible pay. Regions follow the four U.S. Census Bureau regions. The report counts roles from the words in the title.
The job board changes every day. The calculator reads open roles with stated yearly pay at build time. The report does not move with the board. Its figures stay fixed to the October 19 reading, and the salary calculator shows the open jobs as they stand.
What the report cannot tell you
- Many church postings do not state pay.
- Churches that state pay lean toward small and midsize congregations.
- Several role rows have small samples. Each median describes those churches, not a market.
- Housing, retirement and health coverage change what a number means. Compare each as its own line.
The church staff salaries guide works through each section with more detail on benefits and housing, and the youth pastor and worship leader guides add survey data for those fields. Open roles are on the church job board.
Sources
- Church Posting, church job postings read October 19, 2026, churchposting.com/jobs/.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 national and state estimates.
- Presbytery of the Miami Valley, 2026 Pastors' Minimum Compensation Recommendation.
- Presbytery of Carlisle, 2026 Minimum Terms of Call for Ministers of the Word and Sacrament.
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