The 6 Highest-Paying Jobs in the Ministry

When it comes to professions within the world of Christian ministry, big salaries aren’t usually the first things that come to mind. Most who go into this field do so because they feel called, not so much because they’ll end up with fast cars and big houses.

But as it is with any job, pay is still an important factor—even pastors need to be able to keep the lights on, and it’s important to know that you’re being fairly compensated for your level of education, as well as the work that you do.

Both salary.com and the annually-updated “Compensation Handbook for Church Staff” are great resources that can show you exactly what the pay is for the most common ministry positions, and we’ve pulled data from both to show you where you can earn the most within the Christian ministry.

Because salaries vary so much between individual churches, all of the figures in this list will correspond to mid-sized churches with 100 to 250 congregants. As you might expect, smaller churches will pay less, and larger churches will pay more—sometimes much more.

So, if you’ve ever wondered what faith-based jobs pay the best, look no further—here’s our list of the 6 highest-paying jobs in the ministry.

Senior Pastor

A Senior Pastor, the top-level leader of a church, makes an average of 91,560 dollars a year.

This is, on average, the highest position you can hold in a church, and requirements vary by denomination. In general, if you want to be a Senior Pastor, you’ll need a master’s degree in theology, at the very least, and it’s more likely that a church will be looking for candidates with a PhD. This is a huge educational time investment—a master’s degree can take 2 years, while a PhD. can take 5 to 7 years.

The Senior Pastor of a church is responsible for the spiritual leadership of the congregation and the professional guidance of church staff. This pastor is the one who holds the main vision for a church, who sees the big picture and makes the most important decisions. Churches live and die by the choices of their Senior Pastors.

If this level of responsibility sounds appealing to you rather than terrifying, you may just have the right stuff to be a Senior Pastor.

Theology Professor

A Theology Professor, at a moderately-sized research university, can make around 70,881 dollars a year.

While this profession will have you working at a university rather than a church, a theology professor’s contributions to the ministry are no less vital. This person trains up future pastors, passing down theological knowledge and denominational traditions to new generations.

A Theology Professor is the protector of divine knowledge, and that’s nothing to sniff at.

This well-compensated position pays more ways than simple money—working in higher education often comes with numerous perks, such as ample time off, great health benefits, and time that you can devote to your personal studies and writing.

That’s not to say this position is without its challenges. You should be willing to potentially work long hours grading paper after paper, and you may come across students who are challenging to teach.

But if you’re academically minded, are willing to go for a PhD. in theology, and love to continuously learn and teach, this might just be the job for you.

Executive Pastor

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An Executive Pastor can expect to earn an average of 61,322 dollars a year.

If you’re more interested in the business side of running a church, this might just be the job for you. The Executive Pastor is responsible for the leadership of a church’s staff, as well as for strategic planning, administration, financial leadership, and human resources operations.

In this role, you’ll be supporting the Senior Pastor in accomplishing the big-picture goals of the church, directly managing and evaluating all other staff members. You’ll be the in-between man, translating the Senior Pastor’s big ideas into the day-to-day activities that run a church.

For this role, many churches look for business—you’ll need 10 to 15 years of experience as a senior leader in a corporate environment, and a degree in theology is a major plus. More than anything, you need a proven record of leadership and good judgment.

Does this sound like your kind of job? Go for your dreams!

Associate Pastor

The Associate Pastor of a church can expect to make around 45,654 dollars a year.

In this position, you’ll be assisting the Senior Pastor on the pastoral side of things, carrying out his or her vision in activities like worship services, weddings, baptisms, and funerals. This frees the Senior Pastor up for more in-depth study and service preparation.

In essence, where the Senior Pastor is the brain of a church, an Associate Pastor is the hands.

This is also a great position for those who wish to eventually become Senior Pastors—it functions as a kind of internship, exposing you to both the everyday workings of a church, as well as giving you a taste of leadership.

To perform this job, you’re going to need a master’s degree in theology, although some smaller churches will be more accepting of less education and more experience as a pastor.

This is a great entry into the general ministry, so if you want a great place to start, look no further!

Church Administrator

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A church administrator can earn around 36,422 dollars a year, on average.

In this position, you’ll work very closely with the Executive Pastor and the governing body of the church in order to help manage a church’s budget in areas such as insurance, fund-raising, equipment management, security, and food services.

What the Associate Pastor is to the Senior Pastor, this position is to the Executive Pastor—he or she will delegate responsibilities to you. Be prepared to supervise staff and be involved in directly coordinating, and assisting with, a multitude of daily tasks. It will be your responsibility, for example, to pay the rent on time, orient new employees, or to make sure staff members are paid.

This job requires serious multitasking skills, as well as a few years of experience as an administrative assistant or other similar position. A college degree is not necessarily required, but will give you a distinct advantage.

Does this sound like the right job for you? Well, get to it! It’s waiting for you.

Youth Pastor

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A Youth Pastor can expect to make around 36,235 dollars a year.

Reporting directly to the Senior Pastor, a Youth Pastor is a specialized position that not all denominations will have. Presbyterian churches, for example, don’t often place much value in youth ministries, while Baptist churches often place great emphasis on hiring and retaining Youth Pastors.

In this position, you’ll lead and organize programs which target the youth population of a church, developing programs that will teach and motivate youth, as well as directing them in mission opportunities like food drives.

Sometimes, kids just need to experience God in different ways than do adults, and that’s the niche of the Youth Pastor. You need to have an educational background in theology—and sometimes education. Usually, a master’s in theology works just fine.

If you have a lot of patience and energy, as well as desire to work with kids, this specialized ministry position might just fit you perfectly.

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