SOC 21-2011 · May 2025 · United States
Clergy
National figures, with pay broken out by state and metro area
The median wage for Clergy across the United States is $60,810 per year, measured over 57,200 jobs. The highest state median is in Washington, at $80,830.
National wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to grow more slowly than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +1.0%
- Openings per year
- 23,000
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
5.7% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Where the pay is highest for Clergy
Pay for this occupation varies by 66.8% between the highest and lowest paying states with published data. Washington pays $80,830 and West Virginia pays $48,460.
| # | State | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $80,830 | 1,060 | |
| 2 | California | $77,710 | 7,110 | |
| 3 | Nevada | $73,910 | 210 | |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $72,190 | 840 | |
| 5 | New Jersey | $65,500 | 1,460 | |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $65,200 | 100 | |
| 7 | Vermont | $64,950 | 50 | |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $64,800 | 310 | |
| 9 | Maine | $64,340 | 160 | |
| 10 | New Mexico | $64,100 | 270 |
States with the most Clergy jobs
| # | State | Jobs | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 7,790 | $58,580 | |
| 2 | California | 7,110 | $77,710 | |
| 3 | Oregon | 3,850 | $63,140 | |
| 4 | Florida | 3,560 | $56,940 | |
| 5 | Texas | 3,180 | $59,480 | |
| 6 | Illinois | 2,200 | $61,820 | |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 2,150 | $58,300 | |
| 8 | Ohio | 2,020 | $59,160 | |
| 9 | Michigan | 1,880 | $56,490 | |
| 10 | New Jersey | 1,460 | $65,500 |
Top-paying metro areas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $84,050 | — |
| 2 | Bozeman | $81,770 | 80 |
| 3 | Seattle | $81,750 | 740 |
| 4 | Santa Maria | $81,280 | 70 |
| 5 | Santa Rosa | $80,760 | 70 |
| 6 | Vallejo | $79,590 | 60 |
| 7 | Riverside | $78,330 | 450 |
| 8 | Salem | $78,220 | 380 |
| 9 | San Jose | $77,510 | 330 |
| 10 | San Diego | $77,450 | 560 |
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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