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Clergy is a notable career in the 21 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Clergy against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 21-2011 |
| title | Clergy |
| onet code | 21-2011.00 |
| description | Conduct religious worship and perform other spiritual functions associated with beliefs and practices of religious faith or denomination. Provide spiritual and moral guidance and assistance to members. |
| job zone | 5 |
| major group | 21 |
| tot emp | 58,080 |
| a mean | 67,160 |
| a median | 60,820 |
| a pct10 | 37,140 |
| a pct25 | 47,220 |
| a pct75 | 76,340 |
| a pct90 | 99,720 |
| h mean | 32 |
| h median | 29 |
The day-to-day work of a clergy typically centers on pray and promote spirituality. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Speaking, Active Listening, and Social Perceptiveness. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 4.05 out of 5 — critical for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working clergy, the most common entry qualification is a Master's Degree (47.8%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 71% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in California at $77,850 and lowest in West Virginia at $36,600 — a 2.1× spread. The top five states (California, Washington, Nevada, Massachusetts, Vermont) average $72,044. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $77,850 | $86,900 | $43,080 | $136,030 | 6,390 |
| Washington | $77,530 | $79,460 | $47,090 | $116,830 | 800 |
| Nevada | $70,150 | $77,440 | $31,180 | $97,610 | 260 |
| Massachusetts | $67,830 | $69,190 | $44,310 | $88,650 | 830 |
| Vermont | $66,860 | $68,410 | $55,150 | $87,290 | 40 |
| New Hampshire | $66,670 | $66,010 | $38,850 | $80,760 | 100 |
| Georgia | $65,510 | $67,720 | $42,910 | $89,760 | 1,280 |
| Minnesota | $65,350 | $63,170 | $37,490 | $82,330 | 960 |
| Connecticut | $65,040 | $77,960 | $46,700 | $100,490 | 830 |
| District of Columbia | $64,990 | $68,470 | $41,430 | $107,580 | 300 |
| Hawaii | $64,010 | $70,880 | $40,020 | $115,690 | 590 |
| Colorado | $63,980 | $68,180 | $53,200 | $86,030 | 500 |
| Wyoming | $63,860 | $66,160 | $26,790 | $108,180 | 30 |
| New Jersey | $63,530 | $69,220 | $39,310 | $101,460 | 1,230 |
| Oregon | $63,370 | $69,290 | $37,100 | $98,170 | 4,340 |
| Maine | $63,180 | $64,710 | $50,420 | $74,860 | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $62,770 | $63,660 | $42,860 | $78,150 | 710 |
| Arizona | $62,380 | $74,030 | $38,900 | $117,200 | 1,380 |
| Rhode Island | $62,340 | $63,120 | $34,320 | $91,970 | 210 |
| Idaho | $61,420 | $60,430 | $33,710 | $75,250 | 140 |
| Delaware | $61,250 | $64,370 | $47,680 | $91,450 | 90 |
| Illinois | $60,290 | $58,150 | $35,690 | $81,410 | 2,620 |
| Missouri | $59,980 | $62,800 | $42,890 | $83,920 | 760 |
| Texas | $59,550 | $61,230 | $38,390 | $82,110 | 2,310 |
| North Carolina | $59,530 | $60,370 | $39,930 | $79,100 | 1,450 |
| Florida | $59,430 | $63,400 | $37,100 | $97,420 | 3,370 |
| Iowa | $59,270 | $59,820 | $47,980 | $71,330 | 360 |
| Ohio | $59,220 | $58,570 | $35,470 | $81,430 | 2,060 |
| South Carolina | $59,170 | $61,100 | $42,140 | $86,420 | 530 |
| New York | $58,980 | $75,130 | $37,140 | $122,480 | 9,210 |
| Montana | $58,970 | $59,110 | $28,520 | $86,240 | 790 |
| Kentucky | $58,610 | $58,390 | $38,330 | $79,970 | 520 |
| North Dakota | $58,140 | $73,320 | $37,540 | $86,350 | 140 |
| Maryland | $58,030 | $61,070 | $33,720 | $88,520 | 840 |
| Kansas | $57,610 | $59,500 | $41,600 | $76,120 | 330 |
| Indiana | $57,580 | $57,580 | $40,670 | $73,300 | 1,070 |
| New Mexico | $57,490 | $60,350 | $34,260 | $91,620 | 230 |
| Louisiana | $57,370 | $58,080 | $31,090 | $84,120 | 340 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,540 | $55,570 | $28,230 | $77,960 | 2,660 |
| Oklahoma | $56,480 | $56,140 | $34,690 | $72,550 | 500 |
| Virginia | $56,170 | $57,390 | $30,680 | $82,040 | 1,400 |
| South Dakota | $55,080 | $57,200 | $36,620 | $74,520 | 130 |
| Alaska | $55,040 | $60,420 | $35,880 | $94,520 | 140 |
| Michigan | $54,160 | $54,600 | $37,010 | $74,750 | 2,220 |
| Nebraska | $53,550 | $56,490 | $44,380 | $70,650 | 230 |
| Tennessee | $51,580 | $54,010 | $29,630 | $74,000 | 780 |
| Arkansas | $51,240 | $54,140 | $33,950 | $75,650 | 390 |
| Mississippi | $50,500 | $55,630 | $34,740 | $92,750 | 270 |
| Alabama | $50,050 | $52,440 | $30,070 | $75,210 | 720 |
| West Virginia | $36,600 | $46,010 | $36,230 | $66,590 | 310 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for clergy. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Administrator Pastor or Bishop frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Clergy compares to others in the 21 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Clergy
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.