Chaplain demographics and statistics in the US
Chaplain demographics research summary. Zippia estimates chaplain demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our chaplain estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about chaplains after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 9,220 chaplains currently employed in the United States.
- 31.7% of all chaplains are women, while 68.3% are men.
- The average chaplain age is 51 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of chaplains is White (68.2%), followed by Black or African American (11.8%), Hispanic or Latino (9.0%) and Asian (6.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 94% of what men earned.
- 16% of all chaplains are LGBT.
- Chaplains are 71% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Chaplain demographics by:
Chaplain gender statistics
31.7% of chaplains are women and 68.3% of chaplains are men.
- Male, 68.3%
- Female, 31.7%
Chaplain gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 68.3% |
| Female | 31.7% |
Chaplain gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$44,133
Female income
$41,600
Chaplain gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in chaplain positions over time. Currently, 31.7% of chaplains are female.
Chaplain gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.81% | 27.19% |
| 2011 | 71.94% | 28.06% |
| 2012 | 70.55% | 29.45% |
| 2013 | 71.60% | 28.40% |
| 2014 | 71.62% | 28.38% |
| 2015 | 69.80% | 30.20% |
| 2016 | 70.48% | 29.52% |
| 2017 | 68.91% | 31.09% |
| 2018 | 71.42% | 28.58% |
| 2019 | 70.88% | 29.12% |
| 2020 | 70.58% | 29.42% |
| 2021 | 68.32% | 31.68% |
Chaplain related jobs gender ratio
We compared chaplains 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% |
| Chaplain | 68% | 32% |
| Music Pastor | 93% | 7% |
| Imam | 94% | 6% |
| Catholic Priest | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Chaplain demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among chaplains is White, which makes up 68.2% of all chaplains. Comparatively, 11.8% of chaplains are Black or African American and 9.0% of chaplains are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 68.2%
- Black or African American, 11.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.0%
- Asian, 6.6%
- Unknown, 4.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Chaplain race
| Chaplain race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 68.2% |
| Black or African American | 11.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.0% |
| Asian | 6.6% |
| Unknown | 4.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Chaplain race and ethnicity over time
See how chaplain racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Chaplain race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.24% | 10.28% | 5.25% | 6.70% |
| 2011 | 73.32% | 10.55% | 6.48% | 7.64% |
| 2012 | 74.58% | 10.56% | 5.79% | 7.01% |
| 2013 | 74.22% | 10.97% | 5.87% | 7.28% |
| 2014 | 73.16% | 10.35% | 6.13% | 8.08% |
| 2015 | 73.76% | 10.93% | 5.80% | 7.59% |
| 2016 | 72.37% | 10.98% | 6.96% | 7.96% |
| 2017 | 72.09% | 10.04% | 6.77% | 8.76% |
| 2018 | 73.87% | 9.76% | 6.14% | 8.14% |
| 2019 | 72.87% | 10.63% | 6.10% | 8.43% |
| 2020 | 70.30% | 10.52% | 7.39% | 7.98% |
| 2021 | 68.19% | 11.76% | 6.62% | 8.99% |
Chaplain wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown chaplains have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian chaplains have the lowest average salary at $39,937.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $47,527 |
| White | $45,759 |
| Black or African American | $46,346 |
| Asian | $39,937 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $41,595 |
Average chaplain age
See how the average age of chaplains varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Chaplain 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 |
Chaplain age breakdown
The average age of chaplains is 40+ years years old, representing 77% of the chaplain population.
Chaplain age breakdown
| Chaplain Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 77% |
| 30-40 years | 17% |
| 20-30 years | 5% |
Chaplain educational attainment
The most common degree for chaplains is bachelor's degree, with 48% of chaplains earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 36% and master's degree degree at 5%.
- Bachelor's, 48%
- Master's, 36%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Chaplains by degree level
| Chaplain degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 48% |
| Master's | 36% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Doctorate | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Chaplain jobs you might like
Chaplain wage gap by degree level
According to the data, chaplains with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $50,150 annually. With a Master's degree, chaplains earn a median annual income of $48,945 compared to $43,693 for chaplains with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $48,945 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,693 |
| Doctorate Degree | $50,150 |
Chaplain employment statistics
Most chaplains work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where chaplains work
Below, you can see the size of companies where chaplains work.
Chaplain jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 22% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Chaplain jobs by company type
Employees with the chaplain job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most chaplains prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Chaplain jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 9% |
| Public | 3% |
| Private | 71% |
| Government | 17% |
Chaplain jobs by industry
The most common industries for chaplains are health care, government and non profits.
Chaplain industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 63% |
| Government | 10% |
| Non Profits | 10% |
| Education | 6% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Chaplain turnover and employment statistics
Chaplain unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for chaplains between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Chaplain unemployment rate by year
| Year | Chaplain 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 chaplain tenure
The average chaplain stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 9,135 chaplains resumes in Zippia's database.
Chaplain tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 15% |
Chaplain LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of chaplains 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Student Services Coordinator | 8.30% | 94,242 |
| Church Warden | 10.45% | 48 |
| Senior Case Manager | 13.09% | 77,291 |
| Counselor | 13.47% | 77,536 |
| Chaplain | 15.69% | - |
| Religious Education Coordinator | 16.29% | 18,042 |
| Psychiatric Social Worker | 19.71% | 57,284 |
Similar chaplain jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Student Services Coordinator | 8.30% | 94,242 |
| Church Warden | 10.45% | 48 |
| Senior Case Manager | 13.09% | 77,291 |
| Counselor | 13.47% | 77,536 |
| Religious Education Coordinator | 16.29% | 18,042 |
| Psychiatric Social Worker | 19.71% | 57,284 |
Foreign languages spoken by chaplains
The most common foreign language among chaplains is Spanish at 57.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.6% and German is the third-most popular at 4.8%.
- Spanish, 57.5%
- French, 9.6%
- German, 4.8%
- Portuguese, 3.8%
- Hebrew, 3.8%
- Other, 20.5%
Chaplain languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 57.5% |
| French | 9.6% |
| German | 4.8% |
| Portuguese | 3.8% |
| Hebrew | 3.8% |
| Other | 20.5% |
