Pastor Pay Grew a Little, but Still Trails Inflation

Baptist Press reports that the average Southern Baptist pastor's pay package and total compensation grew slightly over the past two years but still trailed inflation. The figures come from a study by Baptist state conventions with Lifeway Research and GuideStone Financial Resources. The numbers were revised from a release last month, and the story was written by Aaron Earls and released by Lifeway Research.

The Consumer Price Index, the most widely used measure of inflation, climbed 6.3% since 2024, the report says. Over the same period, the average compensation for full-time senior pastors grew 5.1%, and the average pastor's total pay package grew by the same 5.1%. Other full-time staff ministers also saw increases below inflation, 4.9% in compensation and 5.3% in pay package. Among full-time church staff, only office personnel outpaced inflation, with salaries up 9.2% and total pay packages up 8.5%.

The longer view is better. Over the past four years, the report says, pay and benefits for all church staff have kept up with or exceeded inflation. While the CPI increased 12.7% since 2022, senior pastor compensation rose 14.9% and pay packages rose 13.4%. Other staff ministers saw compensation rise 12.7% and pay packages 13.5%, and full-time office personnel saw compensation rise 20.3% and pay packages 20.9%.

Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, said the estimates help churches consider fair compensation by looking at pay among other Southern Baptist church staff and accounting for cost-of-living increases. Hance Dilbeck, president and CEO of GuideStone, said "Healthy churches and healthy pastors go hand in hand." He said a church that invests in its pastor's compensation and well-being is investing in the long-term effectiveness of its ministry, and that fair pay can ease financial pressure and free a pastor to focus on the ministry he was called to.

Paul writes in 1 Timothy 5:17-18 that elders who lead well deserve honor, and that a worker has earned his pay. Small raises buy less. A card is kind. A quiet word with your church's finance team about your pastor's cost of living may be kinder still.

Read 1 Timothy 5:17-18