Pay, demand and where to work, from BLS data with the year on every table.
low → high: location quotient
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Clergy (SOC 21-2011) employed 57,200 people in May 2025. The median pay is $60,810 a year ($29.24 an hour); the lowest-paid 10% earn under $37,860 and the highest-paid 10% more than $98,890. BLS projects its employment to change by +2.4% between 2025 and 2035 (about 19,200 openings a year including replacements). The typical way in: Bachelor's degree.
Highest median pay: Washington ($80,830), California ($77,710), Nevada ($73,910). Most jobs: New York (7,790), California (7,110), Oregon (3,850).
| Measure ⇅ | Annual ⇅ | Hourly equivalent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,860 | $18.20 |
| 25th percentile | $48,260 | $23.20 |
| Median | $60,810 | $29.24 |
| Mean | $66,860 | $32.14 |
| 75th percentile | $76,640 | $36.85 |
| 90th percentile (experienced) | $98,890 | $47.54 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
Hourly equivalents divide by 2,080 hours. Pay above $239,200 is shown as "≥ $239,200" (BLS top code).
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Jobs 2025 | 242,000 |
| Jobs 2035 (projected) | 247,800 |
| Change in jobs | 5,700 |
| Percent change | +2.4% |
| Openings a year (growth + replacements) | 19,200 |
| Self-employed share | 5.7% |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
Licences and certifications are set by states and employers; the education shown is the usual entry requirement, not a legal one.
| State ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 850 | 1.10 | $50,180 | $38,480 | $71,650 | -17% | 26% |
| Alaska | 150 | 1.23 | $55,780 | $35,910 | $76,820 | -8% | 31% |
| Arizona | 1,070 | 0.90 | $61,900 | $44,440 | $102,290 | +2% | 32% |
| Arkansas | 350 | 0.72 | $49,070 | $30,070 | $78,850 | -19% | 24% |
| California | 7,110 | 1.06 | $77,710 | $42,690 | $157,030 | +28% | 32% |
| Colorado | 440 | 0.41 | $63,700 | $50,750 | $82,410 | +5% | 34% |
| Connecticut | 900 | 1.44 | $63,470 | $44,390 | $100,460 | +4% | 29% |
| Delaware | 120 | 0.67 | $63,260 | $51,270 | $78,150 | +4% | 29% |
| District of Columbia | 310 | 1.21 | $64,800 | $40,600 | $99,270 | +7% | 36% |
| Florida | 3,560 | 0.97 | $56,940 | $35,950 | $88,560 | -6% | 38% |
| Georgia | 1,380 | 0.77 | $60,530 | $35,260 | $85,530 | -0% | 30% |
| Hawaii | 720 | 3.13 | $61,050 | $46,710 | $90,270 | +0% | 38% |
| Idaho | 150 | 0.46 | $59,570 | $32,310 | $77,740 | -2% | 28% |
| Illinois | 2,200 | 0.98 | $61,820 | $36,760 | $86,390 | +2% | 26% |
| Indiana | 1,060 | 0.90 | $59,020 | $37,860 | $77,670 | -3% | 22% |
| Iowa | 370 | 0.64 | $60,630 | $46,920 | $73,340 | -0% | 19% |
| Kansas | 450 | 0.85 | $52,130 | $29,060 | $68,250 | -14% | 25% |
| Kentucky | 410 | 0.55 | $58,920 | $40,640 | $80,630 | -3% | 20% |
| Louisiana | 400 | 0.56 | $54,140 | $31,270 | $75,490 | -11% | 24% |
| Maine | 160 | 0.68 | $64,340 | $47,390 | $74,030 | +6% | 23% |
| Maryland | 670 | 0.66 | $61,620 | $36,450 | $104,330 | +1% | 34% |
| Massachusetts | 840 | 0.63 | $72,190 | $51,600 | $98,650 | +19% | 31% |
| Michigan | 1,880 | 1.16 | $56,490 | $36,730 | $74,470 | -7% | 25% |
| Minnesota | 1,160 | 1.07 | $61,230 | $38,350 | $79,000 | +1% | 25% |
| Mississippi | 250 | 0.59 | $52,450 | $35,030 | $85,810 | -14% | 23% |
| Missouri | 920 | 0.86 | $58,740 | $44,260 | $77,940 | -3% | 22% |
| Montana | 680 | 3.62 | $59,550 | $35,050 | $96,460 | -2% | 24% |
| Nebraska | 270 | 0.71 | $57,520 | $45,920 | $67,230 | -5% | 23% |
| Nevada | 210 | 0.37 | $73,910 | $51,070 | $82,810 | +22% | 28% |
| New Hampshire | 100 | 0.39 | $65,200 | $51,480 | $81,160 | +7% | 29% |
| New Jersey | 1,460 | 0.93 | $65,500 | $39,540 | $93,780 | +8% | 33% |
| New Mexico | 270 | 0.83 | $64,100 | $47,050 | $85,280 | +5% | 21% |
| New York | 7,790 | 2.19 | $58,580 | $38,780 | $129,200 | -4% | 33% |
| North Carolina | 1,430 | 0.79 | $59,600 | $39,880 | $82,350 | -2% | 27% |
| North Dakota | 120 | 0.76 | $60,680 | $35,740 | $86,840 | -0% | 19% |
| Ohio | 2,020 | 0.99 | $59,160 | $36,910 | $79,180 | -3% | 22% |
| Oklahoma | 510 | 0.82 | $59,110 | $40,150 | $79,860 | -3% | 21% |
| Oregon | 3,850 | 5.33 | $63,140 | $37,970 | $99,960 | +4% | 30% |
| Pennsylvania | 2,150 | 0.96 | $58,300 | $31,580 | $81,360 | -4% | 26% |
| Rhode Island | 230 | 1.27 | $59,660 | $34,180 | $88,420 | -2% | 29% |
| South Carolina | 450 | 0.53 | $56,630 | $42,110 | $79,950 | -7% | 27% |
| South Dakota | 140 | 0.84 | $59,860 | $37,890 | $75,500 | -2% | 20% |
| Tennessee | 710 | 0.59 | $57,260 | $41,600 | $73,920 | -6% | 27% |
| Texas | 3,180 | 0.61 | $59,480 | $37,220 | $84,940 | -2% | 30% |
| Vermont | 50 | 0.41 | $64,950 | $54,390 | $80,540 | +7% | 24% |
| Virginia | 1,220 | 0.81 | $55,430 | $32,710 | $81,680 | -9% | 36% |
| Washington | 1,060 | 0.81 | $80,830 | $45,630 | $108,200 | +33% | 27% |
| West Virginia | 290 | 1.12 | $48,460 | $36,600 | $63,770 | -20% | 22% |
| Wisconsin | 770 | 0.71 | $60,950 | $47,320 | $80,770 | +0% | 22% |
| Wyoming | 40 | 0.42 | $61,590 | $40,910 | $78,850 | +1% | 19% |
Location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in the state than in the nation. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure. Rent uses the state median gross rent (ACS).
The 60 highest-paying metropolitan areas among those with at least 300 jobs in this occupation.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 740 | $81,750 | $44,390 | $125,000 | 0.96 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 450 | $78,330 | $50,650 | $108,470 | 0.71 |
| Salem, OR | 380 | $78,220 | $37,140 | $105,090 | 5.55 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 330 | $77,510 | $37,860 | $121,870 | 0.80 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 560 | $77,450 | $36,610 | $117,980 | 0.99 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 310 | $76,720 | $41,980 | $98,530 | 0.77 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,130 | $74,580 | $46,860 | $115,490 | 1.29 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 620 | $73,160 | $52,000 | $99,070 | 0.62 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,750 | $65,710 | $37,620 | $103,540 | 3.93 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 720 | $65,150 | $35,260 | $90,450 | 0.68 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 770 | $64,060 | $41,850 | $79,000 | 1.07 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 950 | $63,430 | $36,600 | $90,720 | 0.89 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 890 | $63,000 | $45,100 | $102,290 | 1.02 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 340 | $61,970 | $36,640 | $99,950 | 1.53 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,110 | $61,860 | $39,370 | $131,510 | 1.75 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,690 | $61,820 | $36,870 | $85,400 | 1.02 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 410 | $61,410 | $43,280 | $81,780 | 1.01 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 410 | $61,390 | $37,440 | $80,840 | 1.01 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 850 | $61,170 | $37,800 | $100,830 | 0.73 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 670 | $61,010 | $39,720 | $88,110 | 0.56 |
| Columbus, OH | 450 | $60,820 | $38,970 | $76,490 | 1.11 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 360 | $60,760 | $40,260 | $89,980 | 0.72 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 540 | $60,540 | $47,580 | $90,870 | 3.32 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 440 | $60,290 | $41,470 | $78,820 | 0.90 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 920 | $60,040 | $37,220 | $95,000 | 0.62 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 600 | $59,890 | $39,380 | $78,200 | 0.86 |
| Rochester, NY | 470 | $59,710 | $36,210 | $95,540 | 2.59 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 410 | $59,700 | $34,180 | $88,330 | 0.82 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 550 | $59,610 | $37,570 | $80,630 | 1.04 |
| Cleveland, OH | 300 | $59,210 | $38,110 | $91,880 | 0.80 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 370 | $58,850 | $29,070 | $78,840 | 0.92 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 990 | $58,470 | $35,080 | $104,230 | 0.95 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 480 | $57,850 | $37,910 | $80,460 | 0.93 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 350 | $57,720 | $34,180 | $78,270 | 0.85 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 300 | $56,330 | $37,120 | $105,640 | 1.05 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 600 | $55,070 | $39,250 | $87,610 | 3.04 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 370 | $50,410 | $36,830 | $73,130 | 1.67 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 360 | $49,160 | $36,280 | $82,490 | 2.18 |
The median is $60,810 a year ($29.24 an hour); the lowest-paid tenth earn under $37,860 and the highest-paid tenth over $98,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
57,200 in May 2025, and BLS projects +2.4% growth to 2035.
The typical entry education is: Bachelor's degree (BLS).
Washington, with a median of $80,830 (among states with published figures).