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Hospital Chaplain Jobs in Rochester, NY (NOW HIRING)

Highland Hospital

Chaplain

Rochester, NY · On-site

$23.03 - $32.30/hr

Highland Hospital is seeking a per diem Chaplain to assist with coverage. The Per Diem Chaplain provides spiritual care for patients, family and staff. The Chaplain functions as an interdisciplinary ...

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Hospital Chaplain information

See Rochester, NY salary details

$17

$31

$50

How much do hospital chaplain jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 7, 2026, the average hourly pay for hospital chaplain in Rochester, NY is $31.54, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $24.90 and $34.42 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a hospital chaplain?

A hospital chaplain helps meet the spiritual needs of patients, families, and staff in a hospital setting. They minister to people of all faiths, offering a calm demeanor and attentive ear for concerns. As a hospital chaplain, your responsibilities and duties include providing spiritual support to patients facing surgery or dealing with illness or injuries, comforting grieving families, and sometimes counseling hospital staff. You also help patients and families with practical tasks, such as completing medical power-of-attorney documents and making funeral arrangements. Duties vary daily. Hospital chaplains often deal with delicate situations, so they are held to the highest standards of ethics and confidentiality.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a hospital chaplain?

To thrive as a Hospital Chaplain, you need a strong background in theology or pastoral care, often supported by a master's degree in divinity or related field and certification from professional chaplaincy organizations. Familiarity with electronic medical record systems and hospital protocols is beneficial. Compassion, active listening, and cultural sensitivity are essential soft skills for providing emotional and spiritual support to patients, families, and staff. These skills enable chaplains to address diverse spiritual needs and contribute to holistic patient care in a healthcare setting.

How does a hospital chaplain support patients and staff during emotionally challenging situations?

Hospital chaplains play a crucial role in providing spiritual and emotional care to patients, families, and hospital staff, especially during times of crisis, grief, or uncertainty. They offer a listening ear, guidance, and comfort regardless of an individual's faith background, and are often called upon during end-of-life care, trauma, and major life transitions. In addition to patient care, chaplains collaborate closely with medical teams, social workers, and counselors to ensure holistic support, and may also facilitate staff debriefings or support groups to help healthcare professionals manage stress and compassion fatigue.

What is the difference between Hospital Chaplain vs Hospital Social Worker?

AspectHospital ChaplainHospital Social Worker
CredentialsTypically requires a religious degree, ordination, or certification in spiritual careRequires a social work degree (BSW or MSW) and state licensure
Work EnvironmentProvides spiritual support in hospitals, hospice, and healthcare settingsAssists patients with emotional, social, and practical needs in healthcare settings
Employer & Industry UsageHospitals, hospices, religious organizationsHospitals, clinics, social service agencies
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared due to patient support roles and healthcare settings

Hospital chaplains focus on providing spiritual and religious support, often with religious credentials, while hospital social workers address emotional, social, and practical needs, requiring social work licensure. Both roles serve patients in healthcare environments but have different focuses and qualifications.

What does a hospital chaplain do at a hospital?

A hospital chaplain provides spiritual support, counseling, and emotional comfort to patients, families, and staff. They may conduct religious services, offer prayer, and assist with end-of-life issues, often working closely with healthcare teams to address patients' spiritual needs.

What qualifications do you need to be a hospital chaplain?

Hospital chaplains typically need a bachelor's degree in theology, ministry, or a related field, along with clinical pastoral education (CPE) certification. Many employers prefer candidates with ordination or endorsement from a religious organization and strong interpersonal skills to provide spiritual support in healthcare settings.
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Hospital Chaplain jobs near you
Infographic showing various Hospital Chaplain job openings in Rochester, NY as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 67% Full Time, and 33% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $65,596 per year, or $31.5 per hour.

Chaplain | Per Diem/On Call | Unity Hospital/Hybrid

Rochester Regional Health

Rochester, NY • On-site

$22 - $29/hr

Part-time

Posted 21 days ago

Rochester Regional Health rating

7.3

Company rating: 7.3 out of 10

Based on 221 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

305th of 898 rated healthcare providers

Job description

Job Title: Chaplain
Department: Pastoral Care
Location: Unity Hospital / Long Pond Road
Will be on call from home and must be able to commute to Unity Hospital in 30 minutes or less
Hours Per Week: Per Diem / As Needed
Schedule: often on call for 15.5 hours, sometimes 24 hours. 4:30pm to 8:00am, or 8:00am to 8:00am.
Must be available as needed, on call; must be able to be on campus 30 minutes from the time a page is received.
Position Summary:
Functions as a member of the RRH health care team, providing proactive spiritual and emotional care to patients, families and staff regardless of faith tradition or system of belief.
Key Responsibilities:
o Makes regular visits to assigned RRH patient units.
o Responds to referrals from the medical and nursing staff, social worker, and other support staff personnel.
o Responds to requests from families for spiritual/emotional support for the patient and/or themselves.
o Attends interdisciplinary meetings of care teams in order to integrate the role of spiritual care with other disciplines and to build strong working relationships among the members of the team.
o Provides spiritual and emotional support, upon request and as deemed necessary, to RRH.
o Addresses ethical issues relating to patients, families and staff with demonstrated knowledge of subject areas and concern for the individual's well-being.
o Assists the patient's own clergyperson in appropriate ways to meet his or her responsibility to their parishioner, including notifying clergy of patient's hospitalization with permission.
o Serves on various hospital committees, task forces, as requested.
o Leads in-service presentations on relevant issues to promote staff awareness and education.
o Relays problems/concerns to Leadership.
o Provides on-call coverage overnight and weekends as needed.
Minimum Qualifications:
  • One unit of Clinical Pastoral Education is required.

Desired Attributes:
  • Strong analytical, computer, and communication skills
  • Master's level degree in Theology preferred.
  • Four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) preferred
  • Three years satisfactory pastoral experience preferred

Rochester Regional Health System is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran
EDUCATION:
LICENSES / CERTIFICATIONS:
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
S - Sedentary Work - Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.
For disease specific care programs refer to the program specific requirements of the department for further specifications on experience and educational expectations, including continuing education requirements.
Any physical requirements reported by a prospective employee and/or employee's physician or delegate will be considered for accommodations.
PAY RANGE:
$22.00 - $29.00
CITY:
Rochester
POSTAL CODE:
14626
The listed base pay range is a good faith representation of current potential base pay for a successful full time applicant. It may be modified in the future and eligible for additional pay components. Pay is determined by factors including experience, relevant qualifications, specialty, internal equity, location, and contracts.
Rochester Regional Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital or familial status, military or veteran status, citizenship or immigration status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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