Community and Social Service Occupations

Clergy Salary in the United States

DOL-verified data from 1,767 government filings, with BLS survey comparison.

DOL Median Salary
$37,544
BLS median: $60,820
DOL Median Salary
$37,544
From 1,767 DOL filings
BLS Median Salary
$60,820
BLS OEWS 2024 survey
Total Employers
1,090
Companies with DOL filings
Total Employment
58,080
Estimated US workers (BLS)

DOL Filings vs BLS Survey

What Employers File with DOL

$37,544
DOL-Filed Salary Range
$17,014$30,618$37,544$45,000$165,000

This figure comes from 1,767 employer filings with the US Department of Labor under legal obligation. Employers file this salary when sponsoring workers for PERM green cards or H-1B visas.

What BLS Says the Market Pays

$60,820
BLS Survey Salary Range
$37,140$47,220$60,820$76,340$99,720

This figure comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of 58,080 establishments. This is an independent survey-based estimate of what all workers in this occupation earn.

DOL-filed salaries are 38.3% lower than BLS survey data, which may reflect that sponsored positions concentrate in high-cost locations or experience-intensive roles.

Salary Distribution

Top Paying Employers for Clergy

Ranked by median salary from DOL filings

View all companies hiring Clergy

Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs NationalFilingsEmployers
Duluth, GA$40,414+7.6%136
Los Angeles, CA$35,672-5%4439
Houston, TX$32,984-12.1%108
Chicago, IL$31,949-14.9%139
Flushing, NY$29,245-22.1%107

Salary by State

StateMedianvs NationalFilings
South Carolina$74,731+26.3%4
Hawaii$69,254+8.2%2
Rhode Island$68,557+10%1
District of Columbia$66,500+2.3%6
Utah$63,767N/A1
Vermont$54,641-18.3%1
Iowa$50,862-14.2%2
Nevada$50,000-28.7%7
Arizona$50,000-19.9%5
Arkansas$46,228-9.8%2
Washington$45,614-41.2%17
Connecticut$44,388-31.8%11
Kentucky$44,000-24.9%3
New Hampshire$43,804-34.3%4
Massachusetts$42,890-36.8%31
Maine$42,000-33.5%6
Oklahoma$42,000-25.6%5
Colorado$41,842-34.6%12
Florida$40,332-32.1%32
Nebraska$40,290-24.8%34
Kansas$40,000-30.6%7
Michigan$40,000-26.1%27
Oregon$39,915-37%5
California$38,626-50.4%201
North Carolina$38,272-35.7%36
Indiana$37,000-35.7%4
Georgia$36,338-44.5%43
Maryland$36,297-37.5%20
West Virginia$35,859-2%1
Wisconsin$35,412-43.6%2
Texas$35,000-41.2%53
Mississippi$34,800-31.1%1
Louisiana$33,301-42%5
Missouri$33,166-44.7%10
Ohio$33,150-44%20
New York$33,100-43.9%32
New Jersey$32,712-48.5%47
Pennsylvania$32,178-43.1%25
Illinois$31,304-48.1%63
Minnesota$30,398-53.5%7
Alabama$30,000-40.1%9
Virginia$29,037-48.3%35
Alaska$28,703-47.9%6
Tennessee$28,163-45.4%7
Idaho$25,917-57.8%1

Salary Trend - DOL Data

Education Requirements

From PERM filings

For Clergy positions, 5% of PERM filings required a Bachelor's degree, 91% required a Master's degree, and 3% required no formal degree.

Education by Top Employer

Most common minimum education from PERM filings
EmployerMost Common EducationMedian Salary
Diocese of RaleighNot specified$37,369
ARCHDIOCESE OF ATLANTANot specified$32,240
Paradise Evangelistic Association, IncNot specified$57,177
LA open door Presbyterian ChurchMaster's$42,765
PROMISE AND FULFILLMENT COMMUNITY CHURCHMaster's$26,780
Canaan Korean Presbyterian ChurchNot specified$32,729
One Harbor ChurchNot specified$64,600
Glory Church of Jesus ChristMaster's$34,653
FULL GOSPEL NEW YORK CHURCHMaster's$33,828
Catholic Bishop of ChicagoNot specified$28,628

Salary by Industry

Same occupation, different industries (NAICS)

The highest-paying industry for Clergy is Health Care and Social Assistance at $48,421. The lowest-paying industry with significant hiring is Other Services at $42,219.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Clergy make?

Based on 1,767 DOL filings, the median salary for a Clergy is $37,544, ranging from $30,618 to $45,000.

What is the highest salary for a Clergy?

The 90th percentile salary is $99,720 according to BLS data.

Which city pays the most for Clergy?

Based on DOL filings, Duluth, GA offers the highest median at $40,414.

Does this data include all Clergy salaries or only visa-sponsored workers?

DOL filing data covers positions where the employer filed for PERM green card sponsorship or an H-1B visa. These filings represent a subset of all Clergy positions. We compare this data against BLS OEWS data which covers all workers in this occupation.

Salary Check

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Source: US Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) public disclosure files (PERM Form ETA-9089 and LCA Form ETA-9035), and US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Salary figures represent employer filings and government survey estimates, not individual worker pay.