Church Pastor Salary in the United States

How much does a Church Pastor make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Church Pastor in the United States is $57,661 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $28.

However, a Church Pastor's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $67,449
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $51,371 to $62,784
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $45,644
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
Recruit with AI
Smart Recruiting
View as table View as graph 25% $51,371 10% $45,644 90% $67,449 75% $62,784 $57,661 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Church Pastor Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $62,784 $5,232 $1,207 $30
Average $57,661 $4,805 $1,109 $28
25th Percentile $51,371 $4,281 $988 $25
Check out Church Pastor Job Openings in the United States
On

Twin Cities Physicians - LITCHFIELD, MN

Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer Manager

Trenary Funeral Home - KOOSKIA, ID

Physical Therapist

Clover Health Services - HURON, SD

Associate Attorney

Rod Smith Law PLLC - CHARLESTON, WV

Search More Church Pastor Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Church Pastor Salaries

A Church Pastor's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Church Pastor Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Church Pastor's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $57,049
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $57,486
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $59,360
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $61,539
  • Expert (over 8 years): $61,695
Levels Salary
Entry Level Church Pastor$57,049
Intermediate Level Church Pastor$57,486
Senior Level Church Pastor$59,360
Specialist Level Church Pastor$61,539
Expert Level Church Pastor$61,695
$57,049 0 yr
$57,486 < 2 yrs
$59,360 2-4 yrs
$61,539 5-8 yrs
$61,695 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Church Pastors

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $72,727
  • San Francisco: $72,012
  • Oakland: $70,415

What Skills Can Increase a Church Pastor's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Problem Solving (Mentioned in 5.6% Job Postings): Analyzing and identifying the root cause of problems and applying critical thinking skills to solve problems.
  • Underwriting (Mentioned in 2.29% Job Postings): Underwriting services are provided by some large financial institutions, such as banks, or insurance or investment houses, whereby they guarantee payment in case of damage or financial loss and accept the financial risk for liability arising from such guarantee. An underwriting arrangement may be created in a number of situations including insurance, issue of securities in a public offering, and bank lending, among others. The person or institution that agrees to sell a minimum number of securities of the company for commission is called the underwriter. The name derives from the Lloyd's of London insurance market. Financial bankers, who would accept some of the risk on a given venture (historically a sea voyage with associated risks of shipwreck) in exchange for a premium, would literally write their names under the risk information that was written on a Lloyd's slip created for this purpose.
  • Patient Care (Mentioned in 1.78% Job Postings): Patient care refers to the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of physical and mental well-being through services offered by health professionals.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Problem Solving 5.6%
Underwriting 2.29%
Patient Care 1.78%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Church Pastor's salary.
  • Credit Management: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.
  • Quality Management: Can increase your salary by up to 25%.
  • Utilization Management: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Credit Management
$72,652
26%
Quality Management
$72,076
25%
Utilization Management
$69,769
21%
Critical Thinking
$68,040
18%
Commitment
$68,040
18%
Mortgage Loans
$66,310
15%
Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Church Pastor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Church Pastors enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Church Pastor with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $58,446 and $63,965).

Church Pastor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Church Pastor
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 6.3%
High School 25.0%
Associates 25.0%
Bachelors 25.0%
Masters 18.8%
Doctorate 0.0%
view as graph

Church Pastor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Church Pastor's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Church Pastor

Salaries for a Church Pastor can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $68,248 in 2023 to around $67,348 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Church Pastor salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Church Pastor Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$68,248
2024
$67,913
2025
$67,348
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $68,248
2024 $67,913
2025 $67,348
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Church Pastor

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Church Pastor

Here are companies hiring for Church Pastor and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Church Pastor Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Church Pastor job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst