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Priest salary
Average priest salary
$44,712
How much does a priest make?
The average priest salary in the United States is $44,712. Priest salaries typically range between $24,000 and $82,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for priests is $21.5 per hour.
Priest salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Priests earn the highest average salary in Maine.
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Where can a Priest earn more?
Priest salary estimates from across the web
Average priest salary by state
Highest paying states for priests
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $77,906 | $37.45 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $73,098 | $35.14 |
| 3 | California | $76,280 | $36.67 |
| 4 | Vermont | $69,479 | $33.40 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $66,382 | $31.91 |
| 6 | Delaware | $67,741 | $32.57 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $66,322 | $31.89 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $62,332 | $29.97 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $58,157 | $27.96 |
| 10 | New York | $62,170 | $29.89 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $63,210 | $30.39 |
| 12 | Arizona | $53,978 | $25.95 |
| 13 | Nevada | $52,698 | $25.34 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $56,612 | $27.22 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $50,850 | $24.45 |
| 16 | Maryland | $54,231 | $26.07 |
| 17 | Idaho | $46,376 | $22.30 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $46,342 | $22.28 |
| 19 | Michigan | $46,355 | $22.29 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $45,011 | $21.64 |
| 21 | Ohio | $44,745 | $21.51 |
| 22 | Indiana | $44,646 | $21.46 |
| 23 | Washington | $46,044 | $22.14 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $45,316 | $21.79 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $44,946 | $21.61 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $50,353 | $24.21 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $43,316 | $20.82 |
| 28 | Virginia | $45,164 | $21.71 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $43,175 | $20.76 |
| 30 | Utah | $42,485 | $20.43 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $40,690 | $19.56 |
| 32 | Texas | $40,861 | $19.64 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $39,566 | $19.02 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $39,573 | $19.03 |
| 35 | Illinois | $40,787 | $19.61 |
| 36 | Colorado | $42,227 | $20.30 |
| 37 | Oregon | $41,271 | $19.84 |
| 38 | Iowa | $38,603 | $18.56 |
| 39 | Georgia | $38,890 | $18.70 |
| 40 | Kansas | $38,545 | $18.53 |
| 41 | Alabama | $36,404 | $17.50 |
| 42 | Missouri | $38,115 | $18.32 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $36,914 | $17.75 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $36,645 | $17.62 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $31,781 | $15.28 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $33,392 | $16.05 |
| 47 | Florida | $32,699 | $15.72 |
| 48 | Alaska | $27,000 | $12.98 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $32,503 | $15.63 |
| 50 | Montana | $30,541 | $14.68 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $31,906 | $15.34 |
Highest paying cities for priests
The highest-paying cities for priests are Campbell, CA, Burlington, VT, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Campbell, CA | $79,826 | $38.38 |
| 2 | Burlington, VT | $68,113 | $32.75 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $63,093 | $30.33 |
| 4 | East Meadow, NY | $62,537 | $30.07 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $62,352 | $29.98 |
| 6 | Towson, MD | $55,129 | $26.50 |
| 7 | Alexandria, VA | $48,905 | $23.51 |
| 8 | Mishawaka, IN | $46,787 | $22.49 |
| 9 | Saginaw, MI | $46,617 | $22.41 |
| 10 | Spokane, WA | $44,188 | $21.24 |
| 11 | La Crosse, WI | $42,790 | $20.57 |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | $42,233 | $20.30 |
| 13 | Northbrook, IL | $41,416 | $19.91 |
| 14 | Savannah, GA | $38,560 | $18.54 |
| 15 | Blue Springs, MO | $37,300 | $17.93 |
| 16 | Omaha, NE | $32,657 | $15.70 |
| 17 | Sioux Falls, SD | $32,190 | $15.48 |
Priest salary details
A priest's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $82,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a priest's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| 75th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
| Average | $44,712 | $3,726 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying priest jobs
The highest paying types of priests are hospice chaplain, evangelist, and hospital chaplain.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaplain | $46,392 | $3,866 | $22.30 | 2,600 |
| Hospice Chaplain | $52,027 | $4,336 | $25.01 | 9,571 |
| Youth Minister | $41,513 | $3,459 | $19.96 | 2,830 |
| Youth Pastor | $39,712 | $3,309 | $19.09 | 3,120 |
| Chaplain Resident | $45,343 | $3,779 | $21.80 | 7,901 |
| Evangelist | $50,297 | $4,191 | $24.18 | 753 |
Top companies hiring priests now:
Which companies pay priests the most?
Priest salaries at Prime Healthcare and Mission Regional Medical Center are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average priest salary at companies like Mayo Clinic and University of Maryland Medical System are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prime Healthcare | $94,403 | $45.39 |
| 2 | Mission Regional Medical Center | $89,166 | $42.87 |
| 3 | Mayo Clinic | $87,588 | $42.11 |
| 4 | University of Maryland Medical System | $86,976 | $41.82 |
| 5 | Massachusetts General Hospital | $84,533 | $40.64 |
| 6 | Georgetown University | $52,557 | $25.27 |
| 7 | Partners Healthcare Solutions Inc | $38,430 | $18.48 |
| 8 | Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles | $36,715 | $17.65 |
| 9 | Americorps | $35,682 | $17.15 |
| 10 | Archdiocese of Chicago | $34,977 | $16.82 |
| 11 | Diocese of San Jose | $34,790 | $16.73 |
| 12 | Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls | $34,778 | $16.72 |
| 13 | Diocese of Camden | $34,442 | $16.56 |
| 14 | Archdiocese Of San Antonio | $33,788 | $16.24 |
| 15 | St. Thomas' Episcopal Church | $33,314 | $16.02 |
| 16 | Suncrest Home Health & Hospice | $32,823 | $15.78 |
| 17 | Trinity Health | $32,540 | $15.64 |
| 18 | Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston | $31,813 | $15.29 |
| 19 | Les Schwab Tire Centers | $28,695 | $13.80 |
| 20 | Archdiocese Of Newark | $28,498 | $13.70 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Priest salary trends
The average priest salary has risen by $6,714 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average priest earned $37,998 annually, but today, they earn $44,712 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for priests over the last decade.
Compare priest salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average priest salary over time
Compare priest salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
Priest salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,700 | $21.50 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $43,400 | $20.86 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $42,200 | $20.28 | +3.9% |
| 2022 | $40,500 | $19.49 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $39,400 | $18.93 | +3.3% |
Recently added priest salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown Univerisity | Priest Chaplain | Washington, DC | 12/18/2024 | $47,586 |
| Providence Health & Services | Priest Sacramental Minister-Spiritual Care | Fullerton, CA | 10/24/2024 | $57,142 |
| Georgetown Univerisity | Priest Chaplain | Washington, DC | 10/09/2024 | $47,586 |
| Georgetown University | Priest Chaplain-Department of Mission and Pastoral Care-Georgetown University | Washington, DC | 09/21/2024 | $47,586 |
| Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America | Greek Orthodox Priest | New York, NY | 09/20/2024 | $62,610 |
| Providence | Priest Sacramental Minister-Spiritual Care | Fullerton, CA | 09/17/2024 | $57,142 |
| Providence Health & Services | Priest Sacramental Minister-Spiritual Care | Fullerton, CA | 09/11/2024 | $57,142 |
| Hills Resort | Summer 2024-Priest Lake Golf Course-Outside Services | Hope, ID | 09/11/2024 | $29,218 |
| Hill's Resort Inc. | Summer 2024-Priest Lake Golf Course-Outside Services | Priest River, ID | 09/08/2024 | $29,218 |
| Georgetown Univerisity | Priest Chaplain-Department of Mission and Pastoral Care | Washington, DC | 09/05/2024 | $47,586 |
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