Ordained minister demographics and statistics in the US
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Ordained minister demographics by:
Ordained minister gender statistics
39.6% of ordained ministers are women and 60.4% of ordained ministers are men.
- Male, 60.4%
- Female, 39.6%
Ordained minister gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 60.4% |
| Female | 39.6% |
Ordained minister gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$46,031
Female income
$43,206
Ordained minister gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in ordained minister positions over time. Currently, 39.6% of ordained ministers are female.
Ordained minister gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.40% | 34.60% |
| 2011 | 64.42% | 35.58% |
| 2012 | 62.84% | 37.16% |
| 2013 | 64.02% | 35.98% |
| 2014 | 64.05% | 35.95% |
| 2015 | 62.00% | 38.00% |
| 2016 | 62.76% | 37.24% |
| 2017 | 61.00% | 39.00% |
| 2018 | 63.82% | 36.18% |
| 2019 | 63.22% | 36.78% |
| 2020 | 62.88% | 37.12% |
| 2021 | 60.36% | 39.64% |
Ordained minister related jobs gender ratio
We compared ordained ministers 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% |
| Ordained Minister | 60% | 40% |
| Music Pastor | 93% | 7% |
| Imam | 94% | 6% |
| Catholic Priest | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Ordained minister demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among ordained ministers is White, which makes up 68.4% of all ordained ministers. Comparatively, 12.5% of ordained ministers are Black or African American and 9.5% of ordained ministers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 68.4%
- Black or African American, 12.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.5%
- Asian, 5.2%
- Unknown, 4.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Ordained minister race
| Ordained minister race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 68.4% |
| Black or African American | 12.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.5% |
| Asian | 5.2% |
| Unknown | 4.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Ordained minister race and ethnicity over time
See how ordained minister racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Ordained minister race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.41% | 11.00% | 3.84% | 7.19% |
| 2011 | 73.48% | 11.26% | 5.07% | 8.12% |
| 2012 | 74.75% | 11.28% | 4.38% | 7.49% |
| 2013 | 74.39% | 11.69% | 4.46% | 7.77% |
| 2014 | 73.32% | 11.07% | 4.72% | 8.57% |
| 2015 | 73.92% | 11.64% | 4.39% | 8.08% |
| 2016 | 72.53% | 11.69% | 5.55% | 8.45% |
| 2017 | 72.25% | 10.76% | 5.36% | 9.25% |
| 2018 | 74.04% | 10.48% | 4.73% | 8.62% |
| 2019 | 73.04% | 11.35% | 4.69% | 8.92% |
| 2020 | 70.47% | 11.24% | 5.98% | 8.47% |
| 2021 | 68.36% | 12.48% | 5.21% | 9.48% |
Ordained minister wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown ordained ministers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian ordained ministers have the lowest average salary at $41,359.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $49,831 |
| White | $47,848 |
| Black or African American | $48,506 |
| Asian | $41,359 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $43,201 |
Average ordained minister age
See how the average age of ordained ministers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Ordained minister 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 |
Ordained minister age breakdown
The average age of ordained ministers is 40+ years years old, representing 77% of the ordained minister population.
Ordained minister age breakdown
| Ordained Minister Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 77% |
| 30-40 years | 17% |
| 20-30 years | 5% |
Ordained minister educational attainment
The most common degree for ordained ministers is bachelor's degree, with 47% of ordained ministers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 25% and master's degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 47%
- Master's, 25%
- Associate, 12%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Ordained ministers by degree level
| Ordained minister degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 47% |
| Master's | 25% |
| Associate | 12% |
| High School Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Ordained minister jobs you might like
Ordained minister wage gap by degree level
According to the data, ordained ministers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $52,782 annually. With a Master's degree, ordained ministers earn a median annual income of $51,425 compared to $45,539 for ordained ministers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $51,425 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $45,539 |
| Doctorate Degree | $52,782 |
Ordained minister employment statistics
Most ordained ministers work for a private in the non profits industry.
Company size where ordained ministers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where ordained ministers work.
Ordained minister jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 16% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 29% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 33% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 14% |
| > 10,000 employees | 2% |
Ordained minister jobs by company type
Employees with the ordained minister job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most ordained ministers prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Ordained minister jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 35% |
| Public | 3% |
| Private | 52% |
| Government | 10% |
Ordained minister jobs by industry
The most common industries for ordained ministers are non profits, education and health care.
Ordained minister industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Non Profits | 41% |
| Education | 20% |
| Health Care | 7% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Government | 4% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
Ordained minister turnover and employment statistics
Ordained minister unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for ordained ministers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Ordained minister unemployment rate by year
| Year | Ordained minister 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 ordained minister tenure
The average ordained minister stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 281 ordained ministers resumes in Zippia's database.
Ordained minister tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 4% |
| 1-2 years | 10% |
| 3-4 years | 6% |
| 5-7 years | 19% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 52% |
Ordained minister LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of ordained ministers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Guidance Counselor | 8.30% | 75,740 |
| Postulant | 10.45% | 34 |
| Case Manager For Children | 13.09% | 77,002 |
| Teacher Counselor | 13.47% | 83,305 |
| Ordained Minister | 15.69% | - |
| Campus Ministry Director | 16.29% | 5,681 |
| Licensed Social Worker | 19.71% | 66,130 |
Similar ordained minister jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Guidance Counselor | 8.30% | 75,740 |
| Postulant | 10.45% | 34 |
| Case Manager For Children | 13.09% | 77,002 |
| Teacher Counselor | 13.47% | 83,305 |
| Campus Ministry Director | 16.29% | 5,681 |
| Licensed Social Worker | 19.71% | 66,130 |
Foreign languages spoken by ordained ministers
The most common foreign language among ordained ministers is Spanish at 60.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Portuguese at 8.7% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 4.3%.
- Spanish, 60.9%
- Portuguese, 8.7%
- Chinese, 4.3%
- German, 4.3%
- Japanese, 4.3%
- Other, 17.5%
Ordained minister languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 60.9% |
| Portuguese | 8.7% |
| Chinese | 4.3% |
| German | 4.3% |
| Japanese | 4.3% |
| Other | 17.5% |