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The differences between pastors and chaplains assistants 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 a chaplains assistant. Additionally, a pastor has an average salary of $44,787, which is higher than the $42,258 average annual salary of a chaplains assistant.
The top three skills for a pastor include community outreach, overseer and bible study. The most important skills for a chaplains assistant are administrative data, communication equipment, and combat.
| Pastor | Chaplains Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $44,787 | $42,258 |
| Hourly rate | $21.53 | $20.32 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 494 | 2,500 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| 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.
Chaplain Assistants are military ministers who assist chaplains in their missions and daily activities by supporting the unit ministry team programs and worship services. These assistants must coordinate the necessary force protection requirements to conduct religious support operations for their combat missions. They are required to prepare their facilities for various religious services to support their team's programs and worship services. Chaplain Assistants must also maintain reports, files, and administrative data for their religious operations.
Pastors and chaplains assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pastor | Chaplains Assistant | |
| Average salary | $44,787 | $42,258 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $64,000 | Between $25,000 And $70,000 |
| 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 a chaplains assistant in terms of educational background:
| Pastor | Chaplains Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Theology | Business |
| Most common college | Emory University | Boston College |
Here are the differences between pastors' and chaplains assistants' demographics:
| Pastor | Chaplains Assistant | |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% | Male, 67.7% Female, 32.3% |
| 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, 11.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 6.6% White, 68.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |