2007 Salary Survey - Respondents
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Positions
Of the ministers--full-time and
part-time--that responded, 70%
were senior ministers, including co-ministers. 15% of the
responding ministers were associates, and 9% were interims.
77% of the responses were from ministers in full-time
positions. |
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Tenure
The median time of service or tenure for
responding ministers was 3.5 years. Although not as
significant as one might expect, tenure increases in larger
congregations. The median tenure for ministers in
congregations with operating budgets over $250,000 is closer
to four years. |
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Context
The majority of responses (46%) came
from ministers serving in a small town context. 30% were in
suburban contexts, and 18% were serving in urban settings.
The chart at left uses only senior and interim minister
responses so that it reflects the
congregations rather than the total population of responding
ministers. |
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Growth Trends
Almost half of the ministers responding
(49%) reported that membership was stable in their
congregations. 30% reported growing membership, and 22%
indicated that membership was either declining or erratic. |
Base Compensation
Three-fourths (75%) of the full-time senior ministers that responded
receive base compensation between $30,000 and $60,000. Base
compensation is the total of salary and any housing allowance the
minister receives. This amount provides the best comparison to
employment outside the church. The median salary and housing for all
full-time ministers reporting (96 responses) was $43,793.
As one might expect, ministerial compensation
varies according to the size of the congregation. Full-time senior
ministers serving congregations with worship attendance of 101-250
(35 responses) reported median salary plus housing of $50,357. The
median cost of employment for these ministers, including
compensation and benefits, was $67,083.
Full-time ministers serving smaller
congregations of 51-100 average worship attendance (25 responses)
reported median salary plus housing of $39,500. The median cost of
employment, including compensation and benefits, for these ministers
was $52,500.
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