Priest demographics and statistics in the US
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Priest demographics by:
Priest gender statistics
28.9% of priests are women and 71.1% of priests are men.
- Male, 71.1%
- Female, 28.9%
Priest gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 71.1% |
| Female | 28.9% |
Priest gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$42,441
Female income
$39,899
Priest gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in priest positions over time. Currently, 28.9% of priests are female.
Priest gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.34% | 24.66% |
| 2011 | 74.52% | 25.48% |
| 2012 | 73.21% | 26.79% |
| 2013 | 74.19% | 25.81% |
| 2014 | 74.21% | 25.79% |
| 2015 | 72.50% | 27.50% |
| 2016 | 73.14% | 26.86% |
| 2017 | 71.65% | 28.35% |
| 2018 | 74.02% | 25.98% |
| 2019 | 73.52% | 26.48% |
| 2020 | 73.24% | 26.76% |
| 2021 | 71.10% | 28.90% |
Priest related jobs gender ratio
We compared priests 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% |
| Priest | 71% | 29% |
| Music Pastor | 93% | 7% |
| Imam | 94% | 6% |
| Catholic Priest | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Priest demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among priests is White, which makes up 68.3% of all priests. Comparatively, 11.7% of priests are Black or African American and 9.0% of priests are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 68.3%
- Black or African American, 11.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.0%
- Asian, 6.6%
- Unknown, 4.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Priest race
| Priest race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 68.3% |
| Black or African American | 11.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.0% |
| Asian | 6.6% |
| Unknown | 4.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Priest race and ethnicity over time
See how priest racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Priest race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.36% | 10.23% | 5.22% | 6.67% |
| 2011 | 73.44% | 10.49% | 6.45% | 7.60% |
| 2012 | 74.71% | 10.50% | 5.77% | 6.97% |
| 2013 | 74.35% | 10.92% | 5.84% | 7.25% |
| 2014 | 73.28% | 10.29% | 6.11% | 8.04% |
| 2015 | 73.88% | 10.87% | 5.77% | 7.55% |
| 2016 | 72.49% | 10.92% | 6.94% | 7.92% |
| 2017 | 72.21% | 9.99% | 6.75% | 8.72% |
| 2018 | 73.99% | 9.71% | 6.11% | 8.10% |
| 2019 | 72.99% | 10.57% | 6.08% | 8.39% |
| 2020 | 70.42% | 10.46% | 7.37% | 7.94% |
| 2021 | 68.31% | 11.70% | 6.60% | 8.96% |
Priest wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown priests have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian priests have the lowest average salary at $38,235.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $45,856 |
| White | $44,075 |
| Black or African American | $44,666 |
| Asian | $38,235 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $39,895 |
Average priest age
See how the average age of priests varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Priest 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 |
Priest age breakdown
The average age of priests is 40+ years years old, representing 77% of the priest population.
Priest age breakdown
| Priest Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 77% |
| 30-40 years | 17% |
| 20-30 years | 5% |
Priest educational attainment
The most common degree for priests is bachelor's degree, with 45% of priests earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 30% and master's degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 45%
- Master's, 30%
- Associate, 9%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Priests by degree level
| Priest degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 45% |
| Master's | 30% |
| Associate | 9% |
| High School Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Priest jobs you might like
Priest wage gap by degree level
According to the data, priests with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $48,502 annually. With a Master's degree, priests earn a median annual income of $47,285 compared to $41,999 for priests with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $47,285 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $41,999 |
| Doctorate Degree | $48,502 |
Priest employment statistics
Most priests work for a private in the non profits industry.
Company size where priests work
Below, you can see the size of companies where priests work.
Priest jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 39% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 16% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 4% |
Priest jobs by company type
Employees with the priest job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most priests prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Priest jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 28% |
| Public | 6% |
| Private | 56% |
| Government | 9% |
Priest jobs by industry
The most common industries for priests are non profits, education and health care.
Priest industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Non Profits | 52% |
| Education | 14% |
| Health Care | 12% |
| Government | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
Priest turnover and employment statistics
Priest unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for priests between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Priest unemployment rate by year
| Year | Priest 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 priest tenure
The average priest stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 838 priests resumes in Zippia's database.
Priest tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 18% |
Priest LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of priests 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Student Mentor | 8.30% | 18,591 |
| Christian Science Nurse | 10.45% | 4,830 |
| Field Assistant | 13.09% | 59,751 |
| Counselor | 13.47% | 77,536 |
| Priest | 15.69% | - |
| Children's Ministries Director | 16.29% | 13,083 |
| Medical Social Worker | 19.71% | 87,792 |
Similar priest jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Student Mentor | 8.30% | 18,591 |
| Christian Science Nurse | 10.45% | 4,830 |
| Field Assistant | 13.09% | 59,751 |
| Counselor | 13.47% | 77,536 |
| Children's Ministries Director | 16.29% | 13,083 |
| Medical Social Worker | 19.71% | 87,792 |
Foreign languages spoken by priests
The most common foreign language among priests is Spanish at 38.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 15.4% and Italian is the third-most popular at 7.7%.
- Spanish, 38.5%
- French, 15.4%
- Italian, 7.7%
- German, 5.1%
- Hebrew, 5.1%
- Other, 28.2%
Priest languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 38.5% |
| French | 15.4% |
| Italian | 7.7% |
| German | 5.1% |
| Hebrew | 5.1% |
| Other | 28.2% |
