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The differences between pastors and hospice chaplains 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 hospice chaplain. Additionally, a hospice chaplain has an average salary of $52,027, which is higher than the $44,787 average annual salary of a pastor.
The top three skills for a pastor include community outreach, overseer and bible study. The most important skills for a hospice chaplain are patients, home health, and clinical pastoral.
| Pastor | Hospice Chaplain | |
| Yearly salary | $44,787 | $52,027 |
| Hourly rate | $21.53 | $25.01 |
| Growth rate | - | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 494 | 9,571 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Master's Degree, 42% |
| 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.
A Hospice Chaplain provides care and comfort to patients nearing the end of life because of terminal illnesses. They collaborate with the community and the care team to ensure that care is in accord with the patient's faith.
Pastors and hospice chaplains have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pastor | Hospice Chaplain | |
| Average salary | $44,787 | $52,027 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $64,000 | Between $35,000 And $76,000 |
| 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 hospice chaplain in terms of educational background:
| Pastor | Hospice Chaplain | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Master's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Theology | Theology |
| Most common college | Emory University | Emory University |
Here are the differences between pastors' and hospice chaplains' demographics:
| Pastor | Hospice Chaplain | |
| Average age | 51 | 51 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% |
| 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% |