Pastors and Salary Satisfaction

By John C. LaRue, Jr.

In previous reports on pastors' pay, we've looked at salaries, benefits, family finances, and retirement. This final report focuses on how pastors and their spouses feel about money. Here are nine surprising facts our survey uncovered:

1. Most pastors feel they are fairly paid. Seven of 10 pastors have a positive attitude about their pay. Two-thirds (65%) of pastors say their pay is fair, and 3 percent even consider themselves overpaid (see Graph 1). It's not surprising to learn that the more pastors are paid, the better they feel about their pay. Nine of 10 pastors who make $32,000 or more a year are positive about their pay compared to only 51 percent of those who earn less than $18,500.

2. Pastors aren't sure how much they should be paid. Pastors gave a variety of answers when asked on what standard they felt their pay should be based. The most popular answers were: The same as the average salary of members of my church (23%) The same as an area teacher with a master's degree (22%) According to the size of the congregation (19%) As much as the congregation can afford (10%).

The study also showed that the less a pastor is paid, the more he would like to be paid the average salary of church members.

3. Most pastors have difficulty negotiating a raise. An overwhelming 90 percent of pastors think that it's appropriate to ask for a raise, but only 35 percent have ever done it.

4. Pastors who ask for a raise usually get one. If pastors knew the success rate of those who ask for a raise, they would immediately ask for one. Our study showed that 87 percent of pastors who asked for a raise got one. Two-thirds received the amount requested, while one of five got less than requested. Additionally, pastors who received a raise in the past year are paid more than average and are more content than those who got less frequent raises. It pays to ask.

5. Four of 10 churches don't have an annual plan for raises. Thirty-nine percent of churches have no policy regarding pastoral raises, yet a majority of pastors did get a pay increase last year (see Graph 2). In addition, four of 10 churches only provide a basic cost-of-living increase. One of six pastors have not received a raise in three or more years.

6. Spouses tend to be more concerned about finances. A slim majority of pastors are content (46% content, 7% very content) with their current finances. By contrast, the same percentage of spouses are discontent (42% slightly discontent, 11% very discontent) about family money matters. Two-thirds (67%) of pastors feel some anxiety about their financial future, while three-fourths (75%) of pastors' spouses say they are truly anxious.

7. One of six pastors are living on the edge. More than half of pastors describe their financial status as secure (44% with occasional worries, 9% very secure). Thirty percent feel "Okay, but a little shaky" about their financial status. And 16 percent say they are living on the edge financially.

8. Greener pastures tempt a lot of pastors. Almost half (49%) of our respondents said that at least once a year they consider leaving the ministry to find a better-paying job. About half of those (26% of the total) consider leaving two or more times a year.

9. Pastors tithe but are reluctant to ask that of others. Three of four pastors' families practice a 10 percent tithe. Most of those base their tithe on pretax income. The survey also revealed that 35 percent of pastors don't preach on tithing.

The Study
In 1996, Your Church mailed 1,200 surveys and 594 were returned, for a response rate of 52 percent. With these samples, results are considered accurate to within plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The previous Special Reports in this series, along with others going back to 1994, can be found online at AOL, keyword YC or on the Web at http://www.ChristianityToday.com/cbg/features/report.html.html.

John C. LaRue, Jr., is vice president of research and development for Christianity Today International, in Carol Stream, Illinois. He may be reached by e-mail at yceditor@yourchurch.net.

Copyright © 1998 by the author or Christianity Today International/Your Church Magazine. For reprint information call 630-260-6200 or e-mail yceditor@yourchurch.net.
May/June 1998, Vol.44, No. 3, Page 88