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How to hire a college ministry pastor

College ministry pastor hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring college ministry pastors in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a college ministry pastor is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new college ministry pastor to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a college ministry pastor, step by step

To hire a college ministry pastor, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a college ministry pastor:

Here's a step-by-step college ministry pastor hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a college ministry pastor job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new college ministry pastor
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a college ministry pastor, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A college ministry pastor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, college ministry pastors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list presents college ministry pastor salaries for various positions.

    Type of College Ministry PastorDescriptionHourly rate
    College Ministry Pastor$11-36
    General DirectorA general director is required to oversee all the business operations of their company, including its financial performance and investments. Part of a general director's job is to supervise executives and delegate work to them... Show more$33-82
    Director Training & EducationA director of training education spearheads and oversees the training programs of an organization. They primarily set goals, manage budgets, establish timelines, coordinate with experts in developing curricula, and liaise with internal and external parties, building positive relationships along the way... Show more$21-52
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Outreach Events
    • Pastoral Care
    • Oversight
    • Public Speaking
    • Event Planning
    • Leadership Development
    • GOD
    • Youth Camps
    • Facebook
    • Local Community
    • Community Services
    • Local Church
    • ETC
    Responsibilities:
    • Lead the development of a discipleship program that motivate and equip team leaders to lead evangelistic groups both locally and internationally.
    • Lead the development of a discipleship program that motivate and equip team leaders to lead evangelistic groups both locally and internationally.
    • Develop deacons in fulfilling their respective leadership obligations.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your college ministry pastor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A college ministry pastor salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, college ministry pastors' average salary in wyoming is 57% less than in rhode island.
    • Seniority. Entry-level college ministry pastors earn 68% less than senior-level college ministry pastors.
    • Certifications. A college ministry pastor with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a college ministry pastor's salary.

    Average college ministry pastor salary

    $43,292yearly

    $20.81 hourly rate

    Entry-level college ministry pastor salary
    $24,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025
  4. Writing a college ministry pastor job description

    A college ministry pastor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a college ministry pastor job description:

    College ministry pastor job description example

    • Ability to meet all minimum eligibility requirements to be a member of Family Church.
    • Affirm the Family Church Network statements of belief and practices as codified in our organizational bylaws and detailed in the Baptist Faith and Message confessional statement of 2000.
    • Demonstrated ability to lead a large/diverse group of employees.
    • Maintain a close and healthy walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.
    • Maintain a high standard of excellence and moral character.

    General Responsibilities:

    • Advance the culture of Family Church by supporting Leadership Principles, First Team Concept and fostering a climate of inclusivity and mutual respect.
    • Advance the mission and vision by supporting all decisions regarding strategic direction, programming changes, church-wide gatherings, and budgetary decisions.
    • Prepare for and attend all required/necessary meetings and retreats, including weekly Staff Chapel and Team meetings, Summer Camps, special called meetings for special events, and various annual staff retreats as requested.
    • Recruit, develop and lead ministry-area paid and volunteer staff.
    • Create and maintain complete volunteer files.
    • Build meaningful relationships with members, guests, and regular attenders.
    • Manage ministry contacts through phone calls, text messages, emails, and letters.
    • Maintain detailed documentation for campus and/or ministry areas.
    • Manage and effectively prioritize personal and ministry-area/campus staff workflow.
    • Manage personal and campus expenses to ensure they meet approved guidelines and annual amounts.
    • Maintain a positive and professional attitude in a stressful work environment.
    • Maintain a cooperative spirit by assisting others when needed or requested.
    • Communicate effectively with leaders, peers, members, and guests.
    • Demonstrate stewardship of church resources including supplies, equipment, and intellectual property.
    • Understand and adhere to procedural guidelines and policies.

    Role-Specific Responsibilities:

    • Prepare for and attend all required/necessary meetings, including Matrix meeting and Campus meeting.
    • Assist in shepherding the members of this Family Church campus.
    • Assist in contacting and assimilating all guests and new members.
    • Provide leadership and direction for middle school and high school small groups (site-based and home-based), including choice of curriculum and theological framework.
    • Maintain quality assurance at student gatherings.
    • Available to preach/teach at corporate worship gatherings, as requested or needed.
    • Assist in communicating the mission and vision of Family Church.
    • Engage students and families in the community.
    • Drive students and their families to attend the current membership class (First Connections).
    • Conduct regular trainings to equip small group/growth group and missional community leaders.
    • Maintain accurate weekly attendance records for all sponsored gatherings.
    • Share with peers and leaders any lessons learned from sponsored ministry activities.
    • Assist in the process of setting goals for attendance, baptisms, groups, and summer camps.
    • Assist in the planning, promotion and execution of Student Ministry events, retreats, and trips.
    • Be prepared to articulate and discuss the status of campus metrics in various meetings.
    • Meet regularly with students/parents as part of an overall strategy to shepherd and build families.
    • Attend Student Camp, Advance, Block Party and/or any other assigned events and activities.
    • Assist in performing other pastoral duties as needed.

    Fulltime Family Church employees are eligible to participate in Family Church benefits which include:

    • Employer-paid basic life insurance for three times annual salary
    • Employer-paid short-term and long-term disability
    • Employer-paid healthcare Consumerism Card, including health advocacy and Teledoc
    • Employer and employee shared healthcare coverage
    • Retirement benefit after one year of service
    • Dental, Vision and Voluntary Life also available
    • 15 annual holidays
    • Paid Time Off based on tenure





  5. Post your job

    To find the right college ministry pastor for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with college ministry pastors they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit college ministry pastors who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your college ministry pastor job on Zippia to find and recruit college ministry pastor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit college ministry pastors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new college ministry pastor

    Once you've decided on a perfect college ministry pastor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new college ministry pastor first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a college ministry pastor?

Recruiting college ministry pastors involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

You can expect to pay around $43,292 per year for a college ministry pastor, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for college ministry pastors in the US typically range between $11 and $36 an hour.

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