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The differences between chaplains and associate pastors 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 pastor. Additionally, a chaplain has an average salary of $46,392, which is higher than the $46,081 average annual salary of an associate pastor.
The top three skills for a chaplain include patients, social work and clinical pastoral. The most important skills for an associate pastor are community outreach, pastoral care, and oversight.
| Chaplain | Associate Pastor | |
| Yearly salary | $46,392 | $46,081 |
| Hourly rate | $22.30 | $22.15 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 2,600 | 432 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| 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.
An associate pastor is a church employee who assists the senior pastor with the church's daily operations. His/Her tasks include managing events for church ministries, supervising church volunteers, and assisting with all church services and ceremonies. The skills that an associate pastor should possess to fulfill his/her responsibilities include knowledge of community outreach and youth development and good public speaking skills. The education requirements to qualify for the position include obtaining a college degree in theology or pastoral counsel.
Chaplains and associate pastors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chaplain | Associate Pastor | |
| Average salary | $46,392 | $46,081 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $83,000 | Between $29,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | West Virginia |
| Best paying company | UofL Hospital | Calvary Church |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a chaplain and an associate pastor in terms of educational background:
| Chaplain | Associate Pastor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Theology | Theology |
| Most common college | Emory University | North Park University |
Here are the differences between chaplains' and associate pastors' demographics:
| Chaplain | Associate Pastor | |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.3% Female, 31.7% | Male, 87.6% Female, 12.4% |
| 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% |