Clergy in Virginia

Get the information you need to know about working as a Clergy.

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

• Projected employment for Clergy in Virginia is growing faster than average.

• Clergy in Virginia 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 Virginia?

There were approximately 1,360 workers employed as Clergy in this state in 2018.

There were 1,400 Clergy employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 40 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

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

Job Projections for Virginia

Jobs for Clergy in this state are growing at a rate of 17.4% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 8.2%.

Virginia Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates 160 annual job openings, and a total of 1,420 jobs for Virginia Clergy in 2026.

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

What do Clergy Make in Virginia?

In 2018 wages for Clergy ranged from $24,930 to $71,400 with $38,990 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $11.99 to $34.33. The median hourly rate was $18.75.

Workers in this field were paid a median of $17.19 an hour in 2017.

The hourly rate grew by $1.56.

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

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Top Virginia Metros for Clergy

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

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	920	$37,420
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	260	$43,170
Richmond, VA	200	$43,380
Roanoke, VA	80	$38,920

Top States for Clergy Employment

View the list below to see 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.