What is the average pay for a senior pastor these days?
Well, of course, it depends… on your experience, the size of your church, and what sex you are.
According to the 2012-2013 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff (which surveyed about 4,600 churches and 8,000 church positions), the average senior pastor overall makes…
[drum roll please]…
$82,938.
That’s up from last year’s average salary of $80,745.
Another interesting finding is that women church employees (senior pastor or otherwise) make on average 28% LESS than men across all paid positions in the church.
QUESTION: Regardless of your position on women in ministry (at least in Senior roles), is it OK for women working in vocational ministry to make 28% less then their male counterparts?
Why or why not?
Take a look at your personnel expenses… Do you pay your women staff members less then your male staff members in equal or near equal positions?
Let us know your thoughts below…
Todd
As I read the Bible, it seems to preclude women from serving in a pastor/elder role. That being said, I see no reason why they can’t serve in just about any other role, and when they do they should be compensated at the same level as their male counterparts. To do otherwise is
Actually the Bible does not say that. The passge you are refrencing has to do with a particular time and place.
Oct25
Pete Scribner
As I read the Bible, it seems to preclude women from serving in a pastor/elder role. That being said, I see no reason why they can’t serve in just about any other role, and when they do they should be compensated at the same level as their male counterparts. To do otherwise is simply immoral.
I’m a complementarian, as well, but if you’re gonna have a female pastor, you ought to pay her the same as you would a male pastor. No woman should be paid less than a man in the same role simply because she’s a woman.
Couldn’t you come up with a better question?
probably. But I haven’t heard anybody here weigh in yet on whether they do or don’t pay equally between men and women.
Anybody?
Todd
It’s not okay to pay women less. No way.
I don’t think women should be paid less for any job. My question on this issue is at those churches where the senior pastor is making $82K a year, what are the other ministers such youth pastor and worship pastor being paid.
We pay our female Director of Children’s Ministries more than our male Youth Pastor. That’s because she’s been there longer and our children’s department is much larger than the jr/sr high group.
On paper, our pastoral positions aren’t “equal” so they’re not paid equally, regardless of the gender of the person filling the appointment. Should we be appointed a female senior pastor, she would be paid what we pay our senior pastor.
As a bivocational FEMALE pastor and Human Resourse Administrator in the private sector, I think I can address this issue. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 prohibits discrimination based on gender for wages and benefits, where men and women perform the work of similar skill, effort and responsibility for the same employer under similar working conditions. There are ways to get around that but they are unethical which translates as “sinful”. Todd said it’s not a debate onwhether you think a female should pastor. God called me to preach, I answered. He told me He would handle my critics. Take it up with God. He fights my battles. When I stand before God to account for my ministry He is not going to count testicles. He’s going to count souls.
Yes and amen to EVERYTHING you said.
Does anybody know how much Jesus was paid for His 3 years of pastoral ministry? :0)
Do you think that 28% number might be a little bit skewed because it includes senior pastors? I have nothing against women in ministry or women as senior pastors, however I think there is an overwhelmingly large difference in the number of men senior pastors to women senior pastors. That would obviously make a huge difference in what men vs. women in ministry make. What would the difference in salaries be if the senior pastor role was excluded? My guess is that it would be a lot closer.
Not many of us want to whine, but there are also many women pulling a lot of weight in the church working for nothing or “treasure in heaven” because we believe in what we do. So we will keep doing what we do, but appreciate anyone who is willing to take a closer look at the issue! On a side note, I once read that male business execs who have more egalitarian views of women in the workplace also make less on average. Go figure!
i MADE AS SENIOR PASTOR $300 A WEEK. I teach a Sunday Bible class. Preach Sunday Morning and Sunday Night, and again on Wednesday Night. Have all the duties of any pastor. I have never made more that $400 per week. I work just as hard as any pastor in America. I love what I do, God’s grace is so good to have called me to teach his word.
God has never called a woman to preach or pastor a church.
“God has never called a woman to preach or pastor a church.”
That is a VERY dangerous comment to make.
You can speak for God on His call on every, single woman for all time?
Thank you Tim! I was afraid I might explode if I had to respond… LOL
Tim
My mother was training to be a preacher when she meet my father. She knew her bible, she could have become a Paula White.
Nevertheless, Mom became a wonderful helper to my Dad in ministry. God calls us to do His will. My Mom roll in ministry was no less than my Dad.
Scripture seems to say, God has a special roll for the man and the woman.
Yes I believe God has never called a woman to pastor a church. But He has called many a woman to be teachers.
Please remember $83,000 a year for a minister is the same as about $110,000 for regular people with all the tax advantages. Maybe we have gone too far?
You must be one of those regular people as you call them. Or you don’t live in MN because there isn’t as you put it all the tax advantages here.
They are federal tax advantages for ministers. Doesn’t matter what state you live in, Ask any tax consultant. The advantages are massive…. I know, and I was shocked when i re-entered the “regular” world.
Women should never be paid less than a man. If the job is being completed, if the work is excellent unto the Lord then why would the pay be any different for a man or wom