What are the main factors that influence a Lutheran Pastor's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Lutheran Pastor's salary?

A Lutheran Pastor's salary grows with experience: an Lutheran Pastor (0-0 years)earns $63,854, an Asst. Professor - Foreign Languages (0-0 years)earns $71,412, an Assoc. Professor - Foreign Languages (0-0 years)earns $80,503, a Professor - Foreign Languages (0-0 years)earns $108,958,

What are the highest paying states for a Lutheran Pastor?

Lutheran Pastor salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Lutheran Pastor roles are District of Columbia $68,561, California $68,301, Massachusetts $67,390. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Lutheran Pastor roles make?

Salaries for Lutheran Pastor level roles vary by specialization: Executive Pastor: $113,000; Worship Pastor: $112,558; Lead Pastor: $109,290; Senior Pastor: $109,280; Pastor: $109,216.

How do different companies affect a Lutheran Pastor's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Lutheran Pastor roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Lutheran Pastor Salary in the United States

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

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lutheran Pastor in the United States is $61,923 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $77,635
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $52,653 to $70,147
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $44,214

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Lutheran Pastor Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$70,147	$5,846	$1,349	$34
Average	$61,923	$5,160	$1,191	$30
25th Percentile	$52,653	$4,388	$1,013	$25

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Key Factors That Influence Lutheran Pastor Salaries

A Lutheran 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 Do Lutheran Pastor Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Lutheran Pastors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $68,561.
California: $68,301.
Massachusetts: $67,390.

District of Columbia $68,561 California $68,301 Massachusetts $67,390 Washington $67,143 New Jersey $67,118 Alaska $67,031 Connecticut $66,177 New York $65,830

Hawaii $64,722 Rhode Island $64,201 Maryland $63,848 Minnesota $63,365 Colorado $63,180 Illinois $63,118 Oregon $62,883 Delaware $62,709

New Hampshire $62,600 Virginia $62,356 Pennsylvania $61,644 Nevada $61,285 North Dakota $61,167 Michigan $60,981 Wisconsin $60,913 Vermont $60,777

Texas $60,399 Maine $60,375 Arizona $60,337 Ohio $60,294 Georgia $59,724 Indiana $59,440 Wyoming $59,384 Utah $59,297

Iowa $59,260 Kansas $58,963 Louisiana $58,876 North Carolina $58,845 Missouri $58,833 Florida $58,591 Montana $58,461 Nebraska $58,337

Kentucky $58,269 South Carolina $58,022 Tennessee $57,867 Idaho $57,805 New Mexico $57,353 Oklahoma $57,254 Alabama $56,888 South Dakota $56,275

Arkansas $55,941 West Virginia $55,761 Mississippi $55,223

Top Paying Cities for Lutheran 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: $78,103
San Francisco: $77,248
Oakland: $75,620

San Jose, CA $78,103

San Francisco, CA $77,248

Oakland, CA $75,620

New York, NY $71,297

Paramus, NJ $70,430

Queens Village, NY $70,427

Passaic, NJ $70,368

Bergenfield, NJ $70,363

Stamford, CT $70,227

Huntington, NY $70,201

Newark, NJ $69,744

Bridgeport, CT $69,613

Vallejo, CA $69,490

New Brunswick, NJ $69,465

Petaluma, CA $69,428

Middlesex, NJ $69,310

Somerset, NJ $69,267

Santa Cruz, CA $69,186

Boston, MA $68,809

Monterey, CA $68,591

Seattle, WA $68,449

Santa Rosa, CA $68,437

Los Angeles, CA $68,418

Juneau, AK $68,257

Washington, DC $68,189

Orange, CA $67,969

Santa Ana, CA $67,805

Long Beach, CA $67,743

Anaheim, CA $67,731

Anchorage, AK $67,700

Santa Maria, CA $67,514

Everett, WA $67,502

Danbury, CT $67,284

Bremerton, WA $67,199

Tacoma, WA $66,976

New Suffolk, NY $66,974

Sacramento, CA $66,957

Santa Barbara, CA $66,889

Trenton, NJ $66,821

San Diego, CA $66,821

Brockton, MA $66,753

Fairbanks, AK $66,601

Lompoc, CA $66,443

Lowell, MA $66,393

Ventura, CA $66,381

Nashua, NH $66,369

Stockton, CA $66,363

Modesto, CA $65,911

Poughkeepsie, NY $65,774

Olympia, WA $65,657

Kennewick, WA $65,657

New Haven, CT $65,632

Lawrence, MA $65,409

Hartford, CT $65,347

Riverside, CA $65,335

New Bedford, MA $65,273

Richland, WA $65,273

Bakersfield, CA $65,186

San Bernardino, CA $65,161

New Britain, CT $65,155

Atlantic City, NJ $65,155

New London, CT $65,130

Norwich, CT $65,112

Portsmouth, NH $65,099

Boulder, CO $64,968

Portland, OR $64,883

Worcester, MA $64,876

Minneapolis, MN $64,684

Philadelphia, PA $64,598

Honolulu, HI $64,393

Saint Paul, MN $64,364

Vineland, NJ $64,350

Providence, RI $64,170

Chicago, IL $63,991

Bellingham, WA $63,917

Springfield, MA $63,867

Baltimore, MD $63,848

Chico, CA $63,694

Pittsfield, MA $63,526

Manchester, NH $63,409

Spokane, WA $63,136

Denver, CO $63,130

Albany, NY $62,839

Troy, NY $62,814

Nassau, NY $62,748

Schenectady, NY $62,684

Wilmington, DE $62,635

Burlington, VT $62,548

Salem, OR $62,523

Portland, ME $62,331

Yakima, WA $62,269

Rochester, MN $62,078

Reno, NV $62,047

Fresno, CA $62,047

Milwaukee, WI $61,991

Detroit, MI $61,929

Ann Arbor, MI $61,918

Allentown, PA $61,910

Colorado Springs, CO $61,805

Syracuse, NY $61,774

Carson City, NV $61,774

Houston, TX $61,687

Eugene, OR $61,656

Gary, IN $61,582

Springfield, OR $61,533

Bismarck, ND $61,520

Galveston, TX $61,477

Medford, OR $61,384

Fort Collins, CO $61,359

Concord, NH $61,328

Austin, TX $61,310

Mesa, AZ $61,180

Reading, PA $61,173

Phoenix, AZ $61,167

Dallas, TX $61,149

Saint Cloud, MN $61,089

Madison, WI $61,006

Utica, NY $60,839

Rochester, NY $60,740

Des Moines, IA $60,734

Raleigh, NC $60,728

Atlanta, GA $60,635

Battle Creek, MI $60,616

Salt Lake City, UT $60,598

Lancaster, PA $60,505

Harrisburg, PA $60,418

Kansas City, MO $60,356

Champaign, IL $60,344

Kansas City, KS $60,344

Fort Worth, TX $60,337

Columbus, OH $60,327

Boca Raton, FL $60,313

Pittsburgh, PA $60,288

Richmond, VA $60,263

Indianapolis, IN $60,251

Cleveland, OH $60,245

Las Vegas, NV $60,170

Cincinnati, OH $60,170

Petersburg, VA $60,077

Huntsville, AL $59,985

Lansing, MI $59,943

Lebanon, PA $59,935

Pueblo, CO $59,929

Appleton, WI $59,910

Buffalo, NY $59,885

Dayton, OH $59,867

Racine, WI $59,854

Charlotte, NC $59,848

Saint Louis, MO $59,830

York, PA $59,793

Elkhart, IN $59,793

Gastonia, NC $59,781

Billings, MT $59,766

Beaumont, TX $59,749

Lorain, OH $59,737

Benton Harbor, MI $59,724

Toledo, OH $59,712

Binghamton, NY $59,681

Rock Hill, SC $59,675

Rockford, IL $59,644

Springfield, IL $59,619

Elyria, OH $59,613

Fargo, ND $59,613

Flagstaff, AZ $59,570

Fort Lauderdale, FL $59,532

Duluth, MN $59,495

Miami, FL $59,495

Cheyenne, WY $59,452

Grand Forks, ND $59,452

Bangor, ME $59,316

Cedar Rapids, IA $59,248

Durham, NC $59,222

Louisville, KY $59,217

Grand Rapids, MI $59,204

Hialeah, FL $59,198

Casper, WY $59,111

Scranton, PA $59,037

New Orleans, LA $59,019

Virginia Beach, VA $59,012

Akron, OH $58,981

Peoria, IL $58,901

Sarasota, FL $58,888

Nashville, TN $58,845

Omaha, NE $58,845

Green Bay, WI $58,845

Baton Rouge, LA $58,814

Charleston, SC $58,802

Jamestown, NY $58,771

Davenport, IA $58,771

Tucson, AZ $58,740

Saint Petersburg, FL $58,703

Tampa, FL $58,690

Evansville, IN $58,653

Port Arthur, TX $58,653

Bradenton, FL $58,628

Santa Fe, NM $58,517

Orlando, FL $58,405

Clearwater, FL $58,387

Canton, OH $58,257

La Crosse, WI $58,257

Albuquerque, NM $58,220

Newport News, VA $58,214

High Point, NC $58,195

Ogden, UT $58,170

Corpus Christi, TX $58,121

Norfolk, VA $58,083

Laramie, WY $58,083

Rock Island, IL $58,046

Saginaw, MI $58,034

Jacksonville, FL $58,028

Salisbury, NC $58,015

Boise, ID $58,003

Moline, IL $57,972

Fort Myers, FL $57,953

Memphis, TN $57,941

Tulsa, OK $57,910

Waterloo, IA $57,873

Spartanburg, SC $57,811

Lincoln, NE $57,780

Fort Wayne, IN $57,768

Provo, UT $57,761

Cedar Falls, IA $57,687

San Antonio, TX $57,662

Greensboro, NC $57,638

South Bend, IN $57,631

Savannah, GA $57,563

Muskegon, MI $57,539

Birmingham, AL $57,532

Winston Salem, NC $57,502

Lake Charles, LA $57,353

Anderson, IN $57,340

Lexington, KY $57,322

Augusta, GA $57,303

Greenville, SC $57,303

Lima, OH $57,254

Wichita, KS $57,248

Tuscaloosa, AL $57,248

Columbia, SC $57,192

Springfield, OH $57,179

Asheville, NC $57,080

Bloomington, IN $57,037

Knoxville, TN $56,814

Shreveport, LA $56,808

Wilmington, NC $56,727

Roanoke, VA $56,727

Topeka, KS $56,616

Frankfort, KY $56,609

Oklahoma City, OK $56,566

Chillicothe, OH $56,542

Longview, TX $56,535

Melbourne, FL $56,529

Sioux Falls, SD $56,430

Mobile, AL $56,424

Terre Haute, IN $56,399

Altoona, PA $56,362

Amarillo, TX $56,319

Killeen, TX $56,300

Fayetteville, AR $56,251

Chattanooga, TN $56,232

Sioux City, IA $56,176

Idaho Falls, ID $56,164

Lynchburg, VA $56,114

Gainesville, FL $56,034

Portsmouth, OH $56,003

Little Rock, AR $55,991

Lafayette, LA $55,966

Youngstown, OH $55,966

Daytona Beach, FL $55,929

Clarksville, TN $55,922

Pensacola, FL $55,916

Temple, TX $55,912

Hopkinsville, KY $55,730

Erie, PA $55,718

Florence, SC $55,693

Charleston, WV $55,594

Great Falls, MT $55,563

Macon, GA $55,477

Tallahassee, FL $55,470

Fayetteville, NC $55,458

Waco, TX $55,446

Helena, MT $55,402

Pine Bluff, AR $55,379

Vincennes, IN $55,303

Lubbock, TX $55,278

Alamogordo, NM $55,241

Twin Falls, ID $55,186

Rapid City, SD $55,167

Jackson, MS $55,055

Huntington, WV $55,051

Greenville, MS $55,049

Parkersburg, WV $54,986

Montgomery, AL $54,975

Wichita Falls, TX $54,913

Springfield, MO $54,913

Biloxi, MS $54,882

Monroe, LA $54,820

Johnstown, PA $54,777

Sumter, SC $54,752

Columbus, GA $54,746

Pascagoula, MS $54,628

Abilene, TX $54,628

Kingsport, TN $54,467

Albany, GA $54,467

Gulfport, MS $54,449

Alexandria, LA $54,244

Fort Smith, AR $54,089

El Paso, TX $53,922

Las Cruces, NM $53,644

Harlingen, TX $53,486

Pocatello, ID $53,476

Florence, AL $53,396

Brownsville, TX $53,384

Mcallen, TX $53,254

Dothan, AL $53,167

Columbus, MS $52,799

Altus, OK $52,510

Lawton, OK $52,393

Pierre, SD $52,170

What Skills Can Increase a Lutheran Pastor's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 12.77% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Spring (Mentioned in 1.91% Job Postings): Spring is the season during which the natural world revives and reinvigorates after the colder winter months. During spring, dormant plants begin to grow again, new seedlings sprout out of the ground and hibernating animals awake.
Economics (Mentioned in 1.37% Job Postings): Economics is a social science that focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, and analyzes the choices that individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make to allocate resources.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	12.77%
Spring	1.91%
Economics	1.37%

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 Lutheran Pastor's salary.

Computer Science: Can increase your salary by up to 18%.
Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Computer Science	$73,069	18%
Analysis	$68,115	10%
Commitment	$64,400	4%
Presentation	$64,400	4%
Programming	$64,400	4%
Curriculum Development	$63,780	3%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Lutheran Pastor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Lutheran Pastors enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Lutheran Pastor with a Bachelor's Degree is between $49,183 and $56,844).

Lutheran Pastor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Lutheran Pastor

No Diploma 1.0%

High School 23.2%

Associates 66.7%

Bachelors 23.2%

Masters 66.7%

Doctorate 9.1%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.0%
High School	23.2%
Associates	66.7%
Bachelors	23.2%
Masters	66.7%
Doctorate	9.1%

view as graph

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

Understanding how a Lutheran 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 August 01, 2026

$52,653

Average $61,923/year

$70,147

$4,388

Average $5,160/month

$5,846

$1,013

Average $1,191/week

$1,349

$25

Average $30/hour

$34

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$70,147	$5,846	$1,349	$34
Average	$61,923	$5,160	$1,191	$30
25th Percentile	$52,653	$4,388	$1,013	$25

Salaries of jobs related to Lutheran Pastor

Salary Trends for Lutheran Pastor

Salaries for a Lutheran Pastor can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $56,336 in 2023 to around $54,415 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lutheran Pastor salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lutheran Pastor Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$56,336

2024

$55,616

2025

$54,415

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$56,336
2024	$55,616
2025	$54,415
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Lutheran Pastor

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401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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