Clergy in Illinois

Is Illinois a good place for you to work as a Clergy?

You’re in luck! Jobs for Clergy in Illinois are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.

• Projected employment for Clergy in Illinois is growing slower than average.

• Clergy in Illinois earn lower salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

What Major Will Prepare You For a Clergy Career?

• Theology & Religious Vocations
• Theological & Ministerial Studies
• Theology
• Divinity/Ministry
• Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies
• Rabbinical Studies
• Other Theological & Ministerial Studies
• Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries
• Pastoral Studies/Counseling
• Youth Ministry
• Urban Ministry
• Health Professions
• Mental & Social Health Services
• Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling

How Many Clergy Work in Illinois?

1,920 people worked as Clergy in 2018 in this state.

There were 1,980 Clergy employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 60 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 525 Clergy working in it, which means Illinois has more Clergy than average.

Job Projections for Illinois

Jobs for Clergy in this state are growing at a rate of 3.7% which is slower than the nationwide estimated projection of 8.2%.

Illinois Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates 1,930 annual job openings, and a total of 17,760 jobs for Illinois Clergy in 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 29,200 annual jobs and 263,800 total jobs in 2026.

What do Clergy Make in Illinois?

In 2018 wages for Clergy ranged from $27,200 to $80,200 with $48,120 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $13.08 to $38.56. The median hourly rate was $23.13.

In 2017 the median pay for this field was $22.4 an hour.

The hourly rate grew by $0.73.

The median salary in Illinois is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top Illinois Metros for Clergy

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Clergy.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	1,450	$48,900
St. Louis, MO-IL	390	$49,520
Peoria, IL	80	$38,740
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	70	$45,220
Rockford, IL	50	$43,450
Bloomington, IL	40	$36,600
Springfield, IL	40	$49,320

Top States for Clergy Employment

The table below shows the states where most Clergy work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
New York	7,320	$49,700
California	5,620	$61,990
Oregon	4,430	$48,340
Texas	2,720	$50,220
Michigan	2,700	$40,470
Florida	2,580	$46,410
Pennsylvania	2,250	$45,260
Illinois	1,920	$48,120
Ohio	1,750	$44,970
Virginia	1,360	$38,990
Minnesota	1,310	$47,220
New Jersey	1,260	$58,300
North Carolina	1,070	$47,760
Indiana	840	$46,220
Missouri	820	$47,730
Maryland	790	$50,450
Montana	710	$47,000
South Carolina	710	$49,780
Georgia	700	$53,030
Tennessee	670	$47,190

Below are the states where Clergy get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
California	$61,990
Washington	$61,330
Massachusetts	$59,620
New Jersey	$58,300
Wyoming	$57,240
Connecticut	$57,200
New Hampshire	$57,200
District of Columbia	$56,990
Alaska	$56,150
Colorado	$54,580

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• Image Credit: By Jonund under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.