pay and gender...

Interesting stats from the Oct 07 Christianity Today...

$56,959- Average annual compensation, including salary and benefits, for solo pastors.

10.4%- How much more female solo pastors make than their male counterparts

I suspect this has something to do with the socio-economic class of the kinds of denominations that have female solo pastors... But interesting nonetheless!

Comments

That is a pretty typical statistic. Women typically make that much less the male counterparts in every profession. Interestingly, if a profession becomes largely female, the annual salary goes down.

[emerging worshiper]

I read it the other way. I think it is saying that female pastors make MORE than men. That is the opposite of typical. I think Bob may be right about the overall size and payscale for mainline churches and denominations versus evangelicals and others. Conservatives don't pay?! :-)

[Bob Hyatt]

Yes- the statistics says that as a group- female solo pastors make 10.4% MORE than their average male counterpart.

More. :)

[Jessi]

Man, I should have been a pastor...

[ryan]

Just from personal knowledge I think this is because some of the denominations in which women can become ordained, have deeper pockets than others. For example PCUSA or Episcopalian, both of which I know women who are pastors in, typically can pay better than a struggling church plant. So given that many women pastors are concentrated in these denominations it explains why they might on average make more.

[Mark]

I was surprised by your statistics. I am United Methodist and in my conference women clergy make less than men do... but i think ryan is partially correct denominations that ordain women usually have a higher salary. I also think that the little country independent church that serves a town of 2500 people, and pays a pastor $18K a year don't typically hire or ordain women.

I'd be interested if the CT article gave a statistic on women who pastor "large" congregations as Sr pastor as opposed to men in the same position. I would assume it is much smaller

[starla]

Um, wow. was not expecting that. Looks like there is evidence of another culture at hand...