Every year, the PCA Administrative Committee collects data regarding pastoral compensation and publishes a guide to help churches establish compensation packages. This data doesn’t compel churches to allot a particular salary; instead, it serves as one piece of data churches can consider. Geneva Benefits Group provides guidelines to help churches assemble compensation packages for their pastors.
The results below are from the AC’s 2023 salary surveys. Since churches are not obligated to participate in the survey, the only available data is from churches that voluntarily provided it. In 2023 there were 443 churches that submitted information for the survey.
The compensation package is the total amount of funds the church spends on the pastor’s compensation, not just take-home pay. It includes a minister’s taxable wages plus his housing allowance and benefits like health insurance and retirement contributions. Totals fluctuate depending on church size, church location, and the size of the pastoral staff.
We’ve broken down the U.S. into eight regions:
West Coast: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington
Northeast: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
Midsouth: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee
South Atlantic: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia
South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
Plains: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota
Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin
Rocky Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah
Here is the average compensation by position and region.
Average Annual Compensation for Senior Pastors by Region:
- South Central: $164,993
- West Coast: $140,088
- Midsouth: $132,926
- South Atlantic: $132,619
- Rocky Mountain: $130,998
- Northeast: $130,019
- Midwest: $119,799
- Plains: $107,221
The average 2023 compensation for all responding churches was $132,860. The average compensation for a part-time senior pastor was $33,852 annually. The highest reported compensation for any senior pastor was $284,749; the lowest was $23,886.
Average Annual Compensation for Assistant Pastors by Region:
- West Coast: $132,743
- South Central: $114,563
- South Atlantic: $102,589
- Midsouth: $101,771
- Northeast: $101,304
- Plains: $92,598
- Rocky Mountains: $81,923
- Midwest: $75,548
The average 2023 compensation for all responding churches was $101,405 for a full-time assistant pastor. The average compensation for a part-time assistant pastor was $31,638. The highest reported compensation for any assistant pastor was $184,503. The lowest was $20,400.
Average Annual Compensation for Youth Pastors by Region:
- West Coast: $104,664
- Northeast: $86,455
- Midsouth: $84,174
- South Atlantic: $72,762
- South Central: $71,630
- Plains: $71,027
- Midwest: $70,121
- Rocky Mountain: $53,713
The average 2023 compensation for all responding churches was $77,143 for a full-time youth pastor, compared to an average $17,197 for part-time youth pastors. The highest reported compensation for any youth pastor was $141,132. The lowest was $32,825.