Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between pastors and associate ministers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a pastor and an associate minister. Additionally, a pastor has an average salary of $44,787, which is higher than the $42,855 average annual salary of an associate minister.
The top three skills for a pastor include community outreach, overseer and bible study. The most important skills for an associate minister are community outreach, pastoral care, and bible study.
| Pastor | Associate Minister | |
| Yearly salary | $44,787 | $42,855 |
| Hourly rate | $21.53 | $20.60 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 494 | 143 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Pastors are considered the leader of a church whose primary role is to give sermons to church members. They also have other duties, including conducting worship services, planning weekly sermons, and interpreting scriptures for the congregation. As the church leader, they provide counseling and care to their members and offer support in times of crisis. Their job also allows them to officiate at special events like weddings, baptisms, and confirmations. Also, they are responsible for overseeing and supporting congregation staff and ensuring the functionality of church facilities.
The primary duty of an Associate Minister is to help the head pastor lead the church. Their primary duties include teaching the Bible, praying with church members, and representing the head pastor at committee.
Pastors and associate ministers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pastor | Associate Minister | |
| Average salary | $44,787 | $42,855 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $64,000 | Between $28,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | Worcester, MA | - |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | - |
| Best paying company | Bethel Church | - |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a pastor and an associate minister in terms of educational background:
| Pastor | Associate Minister | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Theology | Theology |
| Most common college | Emory University | Emory University |
Here are the differences between pastors' and associate ministers' demographics:
| Pastor | Associate Minister | |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% | Male, 76.0% Female, 24.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 6.6% White, 68.3% 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% |