Clergy Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for clergy is $60,810, or $29.24 per hour. About 57,200 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $80,830 in Washington to $48,460 in West Virginia.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 50 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $80,830 | $38.86 | 1,060 | 0.81 |
| 2 | California | $77,710 | $37.36 | 7,110 | 1.06 |
| 3 | Nevada | $73,910 | $35.53 | 210 | 0.37 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $72,190 | $34.71 | 840 | 0.63 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $65,500 | $31.49 | 1,460 | 0.93 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $65,200 | $31.35 | 100 | 0.39 |
| 7 | Vermont | $64,950 | $31.23 | 50 | 0.41 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $64,800 | $31.15 | 310 | 1.21 |
| 9 | Maine | $64,340 | $30.93 | 160 | 0.68 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $64,100 | $30.82 | 270 | 0.83 |
| 11 | Colorado | $63,700 | $30.63 | 440 | 0.41 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $63,470 | $30.51 | 900 | 1.44 |
| 13 | Delaware | $63,260 | $30.41 | 120 | 0.67 |
| 14 | Oregon | $63,140 | $30.35 | 3,850 | 5.33 |
| 15 | Arizona | $61,900 | $29.76 | 1,070 | 0.90 |
| 16 | Illinois | $61,820 | $29.72 | 2,200 | 0.98 |
| 17 | Maryland | $61,620 | $29.63 | 670 | 0.66 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $61,590 | $29.61 | 40 | 0.42 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $61,230 | $29.44 | 1,160 | 1.07 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $61,050 | $29.35 | 720 | 3.13 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $60,950 | $29.30 | 770 | 0.71 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $60,680 | $29.17 | 120 | 0.76 |
| 23 | Iowa | $60,630 | $29.15 | 370 | 0.64 |
| 24 | Georgia | $60,530 | $29.10 | 1,380 | 0.77 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $59,860 | $28.78 | 140 | 0.84 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $59,660 | $28.68 | 230 | 1.27 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $59,600 | $28.65 | 1,430 | 0.79 |
| 28 | Idaho | $59,570 | $28.64 | 150 | 0.46 |
| 29 | Montana | $59,550 | $28.63 | 680 | 3.62 |
| 30 | Texas | $59,480 | $28.60 | 3,180 | 0.61 |
| 31 | Ohio | $59,160 | $28.44 | 2,020 | 0.99 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $59,110 | $28.42 | 510 | 0.82 |
| 33 | Indiana | $59,020 | $28.37 | 1,060 | 0.90 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $58,920 | $28.33 | 410 | 0.55 |
| 35 | Missouri | $58,740 | $28.24 | 920 | 0.86 |
| 36 | New York | $58,580 | $28.16 | 7,790 | 2.19 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $58,300 | $28.03 | 2,150 | 0.96 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $57,520 | $27.65 | 270 | 0.71 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $57,260 | $27.53 | 710 | 0.59 |
| 40 | Florida | $56,940 | $27.38 | 3,560 | 0.97 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $56,630 | $27.23 | 450 | 0.53 |
| 42 | Michigan | $56,490 | $27.16 | 1,880 | 1.16 |
| 43 | Alaska | $55,780 | $26.82 | 150 | 1.23 |
| 44 | Virginia | $55,430 | $26.65 | 1,220 | 0.81 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $54,140 | $26.03 | 400 | 0.56 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $52,450 | $25.22 | 250 | 0.59 |
| 47 | Kansas | $52,130 | $25.06 | 450 | 0.85 |
| 48 | Alabama | $50,180 | $24.13 | 850 | 1.10 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $49,070 | $23.59 | 350 | 0.72 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $48,460 | $23.30 | 290 | 1.12 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do clergy make?
The median annual wage for clergy in the United States is $60,810, or $29.24 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $37,860, and the top 10% earn $98,890.
How many clergy are employed in the U.S.?
About 57,200 people work as clergy nationwide.
Which state pays clergy the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $80,830, followed by California ($77,710) and Nevada ($73,910).
Which state pays clergy the least?
West Virginia has the lowest median at $48,460.
Where are clergy jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Oregon at 5.33×.