Catholic priest demographics and statistics in the US
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Catholic priest demographics by:
Catholic priest gender statistics
2.9% of catholic priests are women and 97.1% of catholic priests are men.
- Male, 97.1%
- Female, 2.9%
Catholic priest gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 97.1% |
| Female | 2.9% |
Catholic priest gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$36,100
Female income
$34,588
Catholic priest gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in catholic priest positions over time. Currently, 2.9% of catholic priests are female.
Catholic priest gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 97.64% | 2.36% |
| 2011 | 97.54% | 2.46% |
| 2012 | 97.37% | 2.63% |
| 2013 | 97.50% | 2.50% |
| 2014 | 97.50% | 2.50% |
| 2015 | 97.28% | 2.72% |
| 2016 | 97.36% | 2.64% |
| 2017 | 97.16% | 2.84% |
| 2018 | 97.48% | 2.52% |
| 2019 | 97.41% | 2.59% |
| 2020 | 97.37% | 2.63% |
| 2021 | 97.09% | 2.91% |
Catholic priest related jobs gender ratio
We compared catholic priests with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, catholic priest and imam have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Director Of Preschool | 5% | 95% |
| Deaconess | 8% | 92% |
| Christian Science Nurse | 15% | 85% |
| Music Pastor | 93% | 7% |
| Imam | 94% | 6% |
| Catholic Priest | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Catholic priest demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among catholic priests is White, which makes up 67.9% of all catholic priests. Comparatively, 11.9% of catholic priests are Black or African American and 9.1% of catholic priests are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 67.9%
- Black or African American, 11.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.1%
- Asian, 6.7%
- Unknown, 4.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Catholic priest race
| Catholic priest race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.9% |
| Black or African American | 11.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.1% |
| Asian | 6.7% |
| Unknown | 4.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Catholic priest race and ethnicity over time
See how catholic priest racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Catholic priest race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.99% | 10.40% | 5.30% | 6.78% |
| 2011 | 73.07% | 10.66% | 6.53% | 7.71% |
| 2012 | 74.33% | 10.67% | 5.84% | 7.08% |
| 2013 | 73.97% | 11.09% | 5.92% | 7.36% |
| 2014 | 72.91% | 10.46% | 6.18% | 8.16% |
| 2015 | 73.51% | 11.04% | 5.85% | 7.67% |
| 2016 | 72.12% | 11.09% | 7.01% | 8.04% |
| 2017 | 71.84% | 10.16% | 6.82% | 8.84% |
| 2018 | 73.62% | 9.88% | 6.19% | 8.22% |
| 2019 | 72.62% | 10.74% | 6.15% | 8.51% |
| 2020 | 70.05% | 10.64% | 7.44% | 8.06% |
| 2021 | 67.94% | 11.87% | 6.67% | 9.07% |
Catholic priest wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown catholic priests have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian catholic priests have the lowest average salary at $33,582.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,089 |
| White | $37,058 |
| Black or African American | $37,401 |
| Asian | $33,582 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $34,585 |
Average catholic priest age
See how the average age of catholic priests varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Catholic priest age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 56 | 59.5 |
| Unknown | 45.5 | 57.5 |
| Asian | 54 | 50 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 45 | 49 |
| White | 52 | 53 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 64.5 |
Catholic priest age breakdown
The average age of catholic priests is 40+ years years old, representing 77% of the catholic priest population.
Catholic priest age breakdown
| Catholic Priest Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 77% |
| 30-40 years | 17% |
| 20-30 years | 5% |
Catholic priest educational attainment
The most common degree for catholic priests is bachelor's degree, with 54% of catholic priests earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 33% and master's degree degree at 4%.
- Bachelor's, 54%
- Master's, 33%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Catholic priests by degree level
| Catholic priest degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 54% |
| Master's | 33% |
| Doctorate | 4% |
| Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Catholic priest jobs you might like
Catholic priest wage gap by degree level
According to the data, catholic priests with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $39,599 annually. With a Master's degree, catholic priests earn a median annual income of $38,908 compared to $35,839 for catholic priests with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $38,908 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $35,839 |
| Doctorate Degree | $39,599 |
Catholic priest employment statistics
Company size where catholic priests work
Below, you can see the size of companies where catholic priests work.
Catholic priest jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 32% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 32% |
| > 10,000 employees | 6% |
Catholic priest turnover and employment statistics
Catholic priest unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for catholic priests between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Catholic priest unemployment rate by year
| Year | Catholic priest unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.37% |
| 2011 | 1.17% |
| 2012 | 1.38% |
| 2013 | 1.26% |
| 2014 | 0.97% |
| 2015 | 0.94% |
| 2016 | 0.92% |
| 2017 | 0.69% |
| 2018 | 0.72% |
| 2019 | 0.96% |
| 2020 | 0.99% |
| 2021 | 1.03% |
Average catholic priest tenure
The average catholic priest stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 115 catholic priests resumes in Zippia's database.
Catholic priest tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 2% |
| 1-2 years | 13% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 52% |
Catholic priest LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of catholic priests that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| International Student Counselor | 8.30% | 45,688 |
| Church Worker | 10.45% | 19,357 |
| Program Assistant | 13.09% | 96,901 |
| Teacher Counselor | 13.47% | 83,305 |
| Catholic Priest | 15.69% | - |
| General Director | 16.29% | 74,664 |
| Social Worker | 19.71% | 77,340 |
Similar catholic priest jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| International Student Counselor | 8.30% | 45,688 |
| Church Worker | 10.45% | 19,357 |
| Program Assistant | 13.09% | 96,901 |
| Teacher Counselor | 13.47% | 83,305 |
| General Director | 16.29% | 74,664 |
| Social Worker | 19.71% | 77,340 |
Foreign languages spoken by catholic priests
The most common foreign language among catholic priests is Spanish at 76.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 7.7% and French is the third-most popular at 7.7%.
- Spanish, 76.9%
- German, 7.7%
- French, 7.7%
- Italian, 7.7%
Catholic priest languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 76.9% |
| German | 7.7% |
| French | 7.7% |
| Italian | 7.7% |
