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The differences between chaplains and associate ministers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a chaplain and an associate minister. Additionally, a chaplain has an average salary of $46,392, which is higher than the $42,855 average annual salary of an associate minister.
The top three skills for a chaplain include patients, social work and clinical pastoral. The most important skills for an associate minister are community outreach, pastoral care, and bible study.
| Chaplain | Associate Minister | |
| Yearly salary | $46,392 | $42,855 |
| Hourly rate | $22.30 | $20.60 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 2,600 | 143 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The word chaplain is originally referred to as representatives of the Christian faith. In tradition, a chaplain is a cleric or formal leader with an established religion or any non-ordained members of religious institutes. Chaplains now are diverse in terms of faith and often serve various constituencies. Chaplains are professionally trained and certified to provide spiritual guidance in a clinical setting to individuals who has issues with meaning, hope, and transcendence or any specific life circumstances it may be. They offer reflective listening and non-judgmental emotional and inner comfort in various settings, including the military, parishes, hospitals, prisons, universities, and schools.
The primary duty of an Associate Minister is to help the head pastor lead the church. Their primary duties include teaching the Bible, praying with church members, and representing the head pastor at committee.
Chaplains and associate ministers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chaplain | Associate Minister | |
| Average salary | $46,392 | $42,855 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $83,000 | Between $28,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | UofL Hospital | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a chaplain and an associate minister in terms of educational background:
| Chaplain | Associate Minister | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Theology | Theology |
| Most common college | Emory University | Emory University |
Here are the differences between chaplains' and associate ministers' demographics:
| Chaplain | Associate Minister | |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.3% Female, 31.7% | Male, 76.0% Female, 24.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 6.6% White, 68.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 6.7% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |