Imam demographics and statistics in the US
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Imam demographics by:
Imam gender statistics
5.7% of imams are women and 94.3% of imams are men.
- Male, 94.3%
- Female, 5.7%
Imam gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 94.3% |
| Female | 5.7% |
Imam gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,556
Female income
$32,434
Imam gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in imam positions over time. Currently, 5.7% of imams are female.
Imam gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 95.35% | 4.65% |
| 2011 | 95.15% | 4.85% |
| 2012 | 94.83% | 5.17% |
| 2013 | 95.07% | 4.93% |
| 2014 | 95.08% | 4.92% |
| 2015 | 94.65% | 5.35% |
| 2016 | 94.81% | 5.19% |
| 2017 | 94.43% | 5.57% |
| 2018 | 95.03% | 4.97% |
| 2019 | 94.90% | 5.10% |
| 2020 | 94.83% | 5.17% |
| 2021 | 94.29% | 5.71% |
Imam related jobs gender ratio
We compared imams 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%
Imam demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among imams is White, which makes up 74.8% of all imams. Comparatively, 8.7% of imams are Black or African American and 6.9% of imams are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 74.8%
- Black or African American, 8.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 6.9%
- Asian, 5.3%
- Unknown, 3.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Imam race
| Imam race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 74.8% |
| Black or African American | 8.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.9% |
| Asian | 5.3% |
| Unknown | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Imam race and ethnicity over time
See how imam racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Imam race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 82.89% | 7.21% | 3.92% | 4.62% |
| 2011 | 79.97% | 7.48% | 5.14% | 5.55% |
| 2012 | 81.23% | 7.49% | 4.46% | 4.92% |
| 2013 | 80.87% | 7.90% | 4.54% | 5.20% |
| 2014 | 79.81% | 7.28% | 4.80% | 6.00% |
| 2015 | 80.41% | 7.86% | 4.47% | 5.51% |
| 2016 | 79.02% | 7.91% | 5.63% | 5.88% |
| 2017 | 78.74% | 6.98% | 5.44% | 6.68% |
| 2018 | 80.52% | 6.70% | 4.81% | 6.06% |
| 2019 | 79.52% | 7.56% | 4.77% | 6.35% |
| 2020 | 76.95% | 7.45% | 6.06% | 5.90% |
| 2021 | 74.84% | 8.69% | 5.29% | 6.91% |
Imam wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown imams have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian imams have the lowest average salary at $31,682.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $35,017 |
| White | $34,261 |
| Black or African American | $34,513 |
| Asian | $31,682 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $32,432 |
Average imam age
See how the average age of imams varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Imam 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 |
Imam age breakdown
The average age of imams is 40+ years years old, representing 77% of the imam population.
Imam age breakdown
| Imam Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 77% |
| 30-40 years | 17% |
| 20-30 years | 5% |
Imam educational attainment
The most common degree for imams is bachelor's degree, with 50% of imams earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 50%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 12%
- Doctorate, 12%
- Other Degrees, 11%
Imams by degree level
| Imam degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 50% |
| Master's | 15% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Doctorate | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 11% |
Imam jobs you might like
Imam wage gap by degree level
According to the data, imams with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $36,115 annually. With a Master's degree, imams earn a median annual income of $35,614 compared to $33,363 for imams with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $35,614 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,363 |
| Doctorate Degree | $36,115 |
Imam turnover and employment statistics
Imam unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for imams between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Imam unemployment rate by year
| Year | Imam 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 imam tenure
The average imam stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 45 imams resumes in Zippia's database.
Imam tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 17% |
| 1-2 years | 24% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 20% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 17% |
Imam LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of imams 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Admissions Ambassador | 8.30% | 13,329 |
| Sacristan | 10.45% | 4 |
| Supervisor Of Communications | 13.09% | 16,853 |
| Counselor | 13.47% | 77,536 |
| Imam | 15.69% | - |
| Director Of Religious Activities | 16.29% | 6,202 |
| Medical Social Worker | 19.71% | 87,792 |
Similar imam jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Admissions Ambassador | 8.30% | 13,329 |
| Sacristan | 10.45% | 4 |
| Supervisor Of Communications | 13.09% | 16,853 |
| Counselor | 13.47% | 77,536 |
| Director Of Religious Activities | 16.29% | 6,202 |
| Medical Social Worker | 19.71% | 87,792 |
Foreign languages spoken by imams
The most common foreign language among imams is Arabic at 50.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Urdu at 16.7% and French is the third-most popular at 16.7%.
- Arabic, 50.0%
- Urdu, 16.7%
- French, 16.7%
- Turkish, 16.7%
Imam languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Arabic | 50.0% |
| Urdu | 16.7% |
| French | 16.7% |
| Turkish | 16.7% |
