11 of the Highest Paying Pastor Jobs in 2024

The best Pastor jobs can pay up to $101,500 per year.

High Paying Pastor Jobs

• Evangelist

  Salary range: $100,500-$101,500 per year

  There are evangelist jobs in a variety of industries. Technology evangelists, for example, use sales and marketing skills to promote the use of a particular technology. A developer evangelist is a spokesperson for a company and its technical staff with the goal of communicating their software programs or applications to the developer community. Platform evangelists promote new digital platforms for a company through traditional and web-based avenues. A startup evangelist builds the awareness of startups using strategies such as crowdfunding or paid promotion. Policy evangelists promote various public policies and connect with relevant industry leaders to improve their efforts and reach. Blockchain evangelists raise awareness of blockchain platforms and companies, which requires in-depth knowledge of the industry including Ethereum and Bitcoin.

• Chaplain

  Salary range: $48,500-$80,000 per year

  As a Chaplain, you provide spiritual support to people who cannot attend regular organized religious services due to health or other circumstances. Chaplains are usually attached to a secular facility or location. Your primary responsibilities as a Chaplain are to act as a faith leader to people who need guidance or counseling and offer support to individuals who are struggling. Your job duties as a chaplain are to answer questions, lead interfaith or non-denominational religious services, and provide spiritual guidance. You can find Chaplaincy jobs in hospitals, prisons, and the military.

• Senior Pastor

  Salary range: $48,000-$73,000 per year

  A senior pastor serves as the leader of a church or parish. It is the senior pastor’s responsibility to engage in community events, preach, teach, and manage the church organization. The senior pastor may be the head of a large congregation and multiple church employees (such as secretaries, musical leaders, or junior pastors), the only paid member of a church, or a volunteer nominated for the role. Depending on the denomination of the church, a senior pastor may stay in one place all their life or move from church to church as needed.

• Minister

  Salary range: $40,000-$62,500 per year

  A minister is a leader of a church. As a member of the clergy, their job duties range from leading worship services to conducting funerals and marriages to assisting members of their congregation with their spiritual well-being. This career requires at least a bachelor’s degree, although many churches now require a master’s degree or even a doctoral degree. Additional qualifications include a religious vocation, a strong faith, and excellent communication skills. Many ministers attend specialized divinity schools that offer courses tailored to their religious denomination.

• Associate Pastor

  Salary range: $41,500-$61,500 per year

  An associate pastor works with a senior pastor at their church to serve their congregation. As an associate pastor, you assist with worship services and lead other religious activities for various ministry groups. Other job duties include collaborating with the senior pastor on service liturgy, giving sermons, leading prayer sessions, and reaching out to the community. The qualifications you need to pursue a career as an associate minister include a bachelor’s or master’s degree in religious studies or a seminary degree, along with ordination in your faith denomination. Because you work with people on a daily basis, you need excellent interpersonal and public speaking skills.

• Executive Pastor

  Salary range: $51,000-$61,000 per year

  The majority of Executive Pastor salaries across the United States currently range between $51,000 (25th percentile) and $61,000 (75th percentile) annually. This moderate range of salaries suggests pay in this role will be consistent, regardless skill level, location and years of experience, though some advancement is possible. Based on recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, the Executive Pastor job market in the United States is active, with some companies hiring.

• Worship Pastor

  Salary range: $38,500-$59,000 per year

  As a worship pastor, your duties include directing a wide range of church functions and programs. You lead worship service, direct the church band and other music programs, and identify and train other worship team leaders and musicians. You also assist church leaders in planning various functions such as community service programs, youth and family services, fundraisers, and other special events. As a pastor, you are integral to the spiritual guidance and development of the church.

• Youth Pastor

  Salary range: $42,000-$58,500 per year

  As a youth pastor, your primary duties are to oversee the youth ministry at a church. You coordinate and lead a variety of different events and worship services oriented towards youth. This includes conducting bible studies for young adults, and organizing youth group events such as picnics, musical performances, and community service projects. As a youth pastor, your responsibilities also include providing emotional and spiritual guidance to youth in your church. Some youth pastors may work with a specific age group, while others may work with youth from childhood through high school.

• Youth Minister

  Salary range: $31,000-$46,500 per year

  A youth minister is an ordained pastor whose focus is to provide religious education for the young people of the church. As a youth minister, your job duties include assisting the senior pastor with weekly church services, leading faith-based classes and youth group activities, recruiting and training adult and teen volunteers, and serving as a role model for young people that share your religious faith. You need excellent interpersonal communication skills and an outgoing personality to serve as a religious leader for the young people in your congregation.

• Pastoral Assistant

  Salary range: $34,000-$44,000 per year

  The majority of Pastoral Assistant salaries across the United States currently range between $34,000 (25th percentile) and $44,000 (75th percentile) annually. This moderate range of salaries suggests pay in this role will be consistent, regardless skill level, location and years of experience, though some advancement is possible. Based on recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, the Pastoral Assistant job market in the United States is somewhat active, with a few companies hiring.

• Pastoral Counselor

  Salary range: $36,000-$36,000 per year

  A pastoral counselor blends traditional psychology with theological concepts. As a pastoral counselor, your job is to provide counseling that incorporates the religious beliefs of the patient. Typical duties involve meeting with patients and their families, developing treatment methods, and analyzing the results. As a pastoral counselor, you often utilize prayer in your treatment services. You work with people of all ages with emotional, mental health, and behavioral issues as well as substance abuse and marriage problems. Though you typically work in a clinical setting, you may also provide group therapy to a church congregation.

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