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Job outlook for religion instructors in the United States
Are religion instructor jobs in demand?
Religion instructor job and salary trends over time
Religion instructor jobs over time
Religion instructor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,304 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,432 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,469 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 1,444 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 1,433 | 0.00% |
Average religion instructor salary over time
Religion instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $47,779 | $22.97 | +1.2% |
| 2025 | $47,202 | $22.69 | +4.7% |
| 2024 | $45,100 | $21.68 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $43,657 | $20.99 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $42,886 | $20.62 | +3.0% |
Religion instructor jobs by state
Most common states for religion instructors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 492 | 9% |
| 2 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 45 | 8% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 576 | 7% |
| 4 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 353 | 7% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 66 | 7% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 52 | 7% |
| 7 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 657 | 6% |
| 8 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 627 | 6% |
| 9 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 248 | 6% |
| 10 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 66 | 6% |
| 11 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 420 | 5% |
| 12 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 161 | 5% |
| 13 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 34 | 5% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 30 | 5% |
| 15 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 409 | 4% |
| 16 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 305 | 4% |
| 17 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 127 | 4% |
| 18 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 118 | 4% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 42 | 4% |
| 20 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 28 | 4% |
Religion Instructor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of religion instructor experts
College of the Marshall Islands
Virginia Commonwealth University
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Wichita State University
Northeastern Baptist College.
Alverno College
Yale University
University of North Carolina Asheville
Scripps College
University of Central Arkansas
University of Central Florida
What general advice would you give to a Religion Instructor?
Alexander Velasquez: My general advice to any graduate beginning their career in their field is to continue to learn and be a student of your craft. Be open to learning new things because you never know how they will improve your skills and qualifications. For example, I am currently learning video editing. I never thought I would bother to learn video editing, but it makes me a more versatile instructor being able to give students the option of doing video projects, combining and editing them, and having a digital record of what students have learned in the classroom. And given the rise of online learning, it's important nowadays to be an effective instructor both in the traditional in-person format and within the digital landscape.
Dr. Andrew Chesnut
Professor and Coordinator of Religious StudiesVirginia Commonwealth University
Religious Studies
What skills stand out on Religion Instructor resumes?
Dr. Andrew Chesnut: Our graduates in Religious Studies enter the job market with very strong analytical and writing skills. In addition, since our Religious Studies program is housed in the School of World Studies at VCU, our graduates stand out for their nuanced understanding of ever-increasing globalization in which religion plays a major factor.
What soft skills should all Religion Instructors possess?
Dr. Andrew Chesnut: The critical thinking and writing skills developed in our Religious Studies program allow students to analyze, process, and evaluate all sorts of data, much of which might be new to them. For those who land jobs in which religious studies are relevant, our graduates are able to demonstrate how religion is intertwined with politics, economics, and ethics in most of the world.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Religion Instructors?
Dr. Andrew Chesnut: While Religious Studies majors do not focus on technical skills the way other majors do, such as those in STEM and IT, our graduates are well versed in the latest communication technology and are able to market themselves and their skill sets as effectively as graduates from the hard sciences.
What skills will help Religion Instructors earn the most?
Dr. Andrew Chesnut: In our increasingly globalized economy, we are seeing that graduates who've had real-world experience through internships with local businesses and nonprofits and those who have learned a foreign language, especially Spanish, tend to land jobs that pay more. With record low levels of unemployment, the job market for our Religious Studies graduates has never been better!
Steve Fink Ph.D.
Professor of Religious StudiesUniversity of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
What skills stand out on Religion Instructor resumes?
Steve Fink Ph.D.: The ability to teach a wide array of classes (including an Intro to World Religions class) would stand out to me. Ideally, the candidate has taught these classes previously (or served as a teaching assistant in graduate school).
What soft skills should all Religion Instructors possess?
Steve Fink Ph.D.: Maybe I'll allow you to laugh by saying that I just needed to look up "soft skills" on Google. Based on the lists I found, I would choose communication and creativity since these two are especially valuable skills in the classroom and in working with students in other contexts.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Religion Instructors?
Steve Fink Ph.D.: For technical skills, I would choose a combination of deep knowledge of a specific area of religious studies (such as an aspect of one specific religion) and broad knowledge of numerous religions.
What skills will help Religion Instructors earn the most?
Steve Fink Ph.D.: There may be some exceptions, but my understanding is that having a Ph.D. will basically guarantee a higher salary. I also think it's common for religious studies instructors to earn more at research-focused institutions (unlike places like UW-Eau Claire that emphasize teaching).
Rannfrid Lasine Thelle
Associate Professor of ReligionWichita State University
Department of History
What skills stand out on Religion Instructor resumes?
Rannfrid Lasine Thelle: -Experience in classroom teaching of undergraduates
-Good communication skills, flexibility and adaptability, proven commitment to undergraduate education
-Excellent pedagogical skills
-A clear pedagogical philosophy/approach
What soft skills should all Religion Instructors possess?
Rannfrid Lasine Thelle: -Good communication
-Ability to empathize with the student experience
-Understanding the mission and culture of the hiring institution and expressing the promise of commitment to it in the application
What hard/technical skills are most important for Religion Instructors?
Rannfrid Lasine Thelle: -Good understanding of and creative use of learning platforms (Blackboard etc.)
-Ability to design effective and strong syllabi
-Good understanding of the use and place of library skills for students.
What skills will help Religion Instructors earn the most?
Rannfrid Lasine Thelle: -Negotiating skills.
-Ability to network and make use of contacts in the academic world.
(If you are looking to make a lot of money, this is not the profession for you...)
Dr. Mark Ballard
President, Professor of Applied Theology & Church PlantingNortheastern Baptist College.
Applied Theology & Church Planting Department
What skills stand out on Religion Instructor resumes?
Dr. Mark Ballard: Honestly, the things that stand out most are not really skills. Nonetheless, they are important characteristics for religious education. Skills are important, and I list a few below.
-One's doctrine must fit within the doctrinal perimeters of the institution's doctrinal statement at which the person applies.
One must see the importance of the institution's purpose, vision, and mission and have a strong desire to further those aspects of the institution.
-Soft Skills are very important in religious education.
-Depending on the area of instruction, hard skills also must demonstrate the candidate is qualified to teach in their discipline. For example, someone teaching Old Testament or New Testament must have solid skills in Biblical Exegesis, while someone teaching Language courses or math courses have a different set of hard skills necessary.
-Technical skills are also important in today's environment.
What soft skills should all Religion Instructors possess?
Dr. Mark Ballard: Written and Verbal Communication skills are a must! Emotional intelligence, Teamwork, Flexibility, Creativity, Leadership skills, Critical Thinking, Problem-solving, Time management, and of course, a solid work ethic are all important considerations.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Religion Instructors?
Dr. Mark Ballard: As noted above, this depends on the department/discipline in which the person applies to join the faculty or staff.
What skills will help Religion Instructors earn the most?
Dr. Mark Ballard: This question is not the primary consideration for most people teaching in religious institutions. Most people who desire to teach in religious institutions like Northeastern Baptist College seek to do so because they believe in the mission.
Steven Dunn Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Chair: Valuing in Decision Making departmen, Program Director for Religious StudiesAlverno College
Religious Studies
What skills stand out on Religion Instructor resumes?
Steven Dunn Ph.D.: Clearly, one needs evidence of accomplished scholarship, a Ph.D. in theology or related fields of Religious Studies, evincing research and writing skills, but also evidence that they can translate scholarship into accessible, meaningful, and relevant teaching that will engage students and deepen their knowledge, appreciation, and understanding of Religion. Some teaching experience, therefore, is very helpful. Many Ph.D. candidates get some teaching experience as assistants to established professors or taught at schools at various levels. A good resume must include a statement of the candidate's teaching philosophy that indicates methods and passion for teaching and supporting students.
What soft skills should all Religion Instructors possess?
Steven Dunn Ph.D.: Excellent oral and written communication skills are essential, especially as we navigate the increasing use of technology to deliver content and engage our students. Patience, empathy, and good social interaction skills promote trust and effective communication and teaching.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Religion Instructors?
Steven Dunn Ph.D.: One must be proficient with computer technologies to create and disseminate content and materials in various formats. It is essential to master the school's platform for course management and online tools. One certainly needs to be proficient using Zoom but not every single platform.
What skills will help Religion Instructors earn the most?
Steven Dunn Ph.D.: One needs a terminal degree and strong teaching skills, which in turn require excellent interpersonal and social interaction skills, leadership, and a collaborative spirit that demonstrates one's value to the institution. These skills will support promotion and increased earning.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Religion Instructors?
Carlos Eire: Yes, there will be an enduring impact, but at this point I doubt very much that anyone can make any accurate predictions about what that impact will be or how long it will last.
What's a day at work look like for a Religion Instructor?
Carlos Eire: A recent graduate is likely to encounter some degree of lingering pandemic fear and fatigue, including restrictions on personal contact. They are also likely to be unemployed in the academic world. Teaching jobs have dried up almost completely, thanks to the plague. It may take a few years for the job market to return to normal. So "a day at work" will probably NOT be a day that involves teaching at an institution of higher learning. It might even be a day working a minimum wage job.
What will help Religion Instructors increase their earning potential?
Carlos Eire: The only way people in my field will ever improve their earning potential is if society as a whole begins to value education properly. The sad truth is that a humanities Ph.D. has been undervalued for a long, long time, and that this situation is not likely to change. Since no change has occurred in this perception of the value of a Ph.D. during the past seventy years, it is highly unlikely that it will change any time soon, if ever.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Religion Instructor job market given the pandemic?
Rodger Payne Ph.D.: I imagine that the pandemic will be followed, sooner or later, by a booming job market, albeit one with many changes. Service industries, travel, and entertainment venues will be the first to see a surge as people return to activities that they have avoided for a year or more. Other businesses will see significant changes in the workforce that were forced by the pandemic but now may become closer to the norm, such as working from home or through virtual conferences rather than expensive gatherings. My hope is that higher education will likewise rebound, and students who decided not to attend college virtually will join with this year's high school graduates to boost enrollments. Demographic and financial challenges, however, will probably reshape the gold standard of an in-residence campus, and more career-focused courses and shorter certificate programs will replace some traditional four-year bachelor's programs.
What soft skills should all Religion Instructors possess?
Rodger Payne Ph.D.: I understand the terminology of "soft skills" but I prefer to avoid the term because it has a negative connotation. The so-called "soft skills" of critical thinking, effective communication (both written and oral), problem solving, and quantitative analysis -- to name but a few -- are really adaptable skills that can be applied to any career situation. Add to these the skills needed for a rapidly globalizing society such as cultural literacy (of our own and other cultures), intellectual humility (i.e., the willingness to learn from others), an embracing of diversity and inclusiveness, scientific literacy, and some facility with more than one language and it becomes obvious that tomorrow's leaders will need to be well educated in the very skills that a liberal arts education offers. Events such as the pandemic demonstrate how quickly today's workforce can be excluded from tomorrow's, but it is the so-called soft skills that will remain relevant.
How have salaries changed over time for Religion Instructors?
Rodger Payne Ph.D.: If my field is defined as the academic study of religion, then the only salaries to discuss are those in higher education, which have remained low and stagnant for over two decades due to dwindling state resources and an overabundance of Ph.D.s without tenure-track positions who are willing to work for appallingly substandard piecemeal wages. If by my field is meant what our graduates in Religious Studies do, then this is an impossible question to answer. As a state-supported university, our program is purely academic, and focused on strengthening those "soft skills" of the previous answer. Students are educated for no particular career, and while some have gone from our program to seminary and professional ministry, the vast majority have taken positions in businesses, non-profits, publishing, historical sites and museums, as well as urban and rural planning, environmental agencies, and the legal profession. Many have also attended graduate schools in a wide variety of fields with the intention of finding a career in higher education, usually in the humanities or the social sciences.
Luis Josué Salés
Assistant Professor and Chair of Religious StudiesScripps College
Department of Religious Studies
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Religion Instructor job market given the pandemic?
Luis Josué Salés: I can only address the higher education sector in the humanities, and my sense is that digital humanities will take off as many academics who could previously afford largely to skip technology become aware of new and interesting ways of engaging with their subject matter through digital media, especially for teaching purposes, but perhaps also in streamlining or automating certain tasks that otherwise take a lot of time. I also see a possible shift in attitudes toward online education, particularly now that virtually everyone will have had to teach online for at least a year; that may lead to increasing course offerings, making them more widely available to international students without need to switching residence, and perhaps, unfortunately, a further decline in the non-contingent faculty pool size.
What technical skills for a Religion Instructor stand out to employers?
Luis Josué Salés: I think the ability to be technology-literate is becoming increasingly desirable. It is no longer enough to be able to use Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. There might be a greater push for learning low-code app making, website design, and certain other skills that use digitization, big data, and automation to increase business productivity as part of an employer's search for well-rounded individuals who can problem solve through innovative approaches.
How have salaries changed over time for Religion Instructors?
Luis Josué Salés: That's very difficult to say, since there are rarely predictable paths for employment in my field beyond serving as religious leaders or becoming teachers, professors, and researchers. In higher education, there has been a larger market collapse of tenured and tenure-track positions that has mapped on closely to my field, with the result that increasingly those who pursue work in religious studies in higher education are more likely to be in contingent academic positions---adjuncts, lecturers, visiting professorships---that offer relatively poor pay and limited or no benefits. Similarly, the decline in religious affiliation in the United States has hurt religious institutions' bottom lines, which has a direct correlation to the religious leadership's size and compensation. In brief, my sense is that of an overall trend in capital flow out of both traditional career paths, but not one that is all that particular to the field (with the exception of positions in religious leadership), but that traces macroeconomic trajectories instead. With all that said, however, and in view of these remarkable challenges, religious studies as an area of study has shown remarkable resilience in appreciable ways: it remains one of the majors with the highest employment rate of any major and job satisfaction is notably high. Some of this may be attributed to various other avenues that religious studies majors have pursued in their careers, including public policy, international politics and advising, legal work, etc.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Religion Instructors?
Clayton Crockett: There will be a complex, manifold, and ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic. A full study of the impact of the coronavirus will have to be multifaceted and interdisciplinary. It is perhaps best to consider the question pluralistically: what are the different kinds of impacts that the coronavirus will have on graduates? The virus and its impacts will likely intensify and render permanent the trending situations of workers needing to work remotely and online, the ability to demonstrate skills of communication across various media, and the ability to work creatively and productively with teams of employees who will often not be in the same location.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Religion Instructors?
Clayton Crockett: Initially, a Bachelor's degree can have the biggest impact on your job prospects. Religious Studies courses that train students in communication, awareness of cultural and individual differences, and research skills in a global context will be most helpful. In addition to coursework, experiences such as undergraduate research, internships, and study abroad can have valuable impacts and be attractive to prospective employers.
In addition to the Bachelor's degree, certifications and trainings in specific skills and specific fields will help students stand out to employers. This may also involve advanced degrees, including the MA, MS, MDiv, JD, and even MD.
What will help Religion Instructors increase their earning potential?
Clayton Crockett: People in the field of religious studies can increase their earning potential through the following measures:
- internship experiences
- foreign language expertise
- increased literacy in global cultures and religio-ethical implications
- increased literacy in digital design (i.e. graphic arts principles and methods)
- increased literacy in math and computer science
Christy Flanagan-Feddon Ph.D.
Program Director of Religion & Cultural StudiesUniversity of Central Florida
Department of Philosophy
What's a good job out of college for Religion Instructors?
Christy Flanagan-Feddon Ph.D.: I very much appreciate the need for students to think about life after college, and they should. The most direct path for Religion majors after college would be graduate school (see the slides for data on how philosophy and religion students score highly on standardized tests), non-profits, and other community organizations. If the student majored/minored in religion along with another subject, then they are well prepared to embark in other career paths in education and social work, for example.
That said, I have a strong resistance to view the college experience simply as a vocational school. There is also the fundamental question of how one's studies prepares them for a career path, or even what career it is preparing them for. For example, this information from the Washington Post states that only 27% of college graduates have a job related to their major WashingtonPost
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Religion Instructors?
Christy Flanagan-Feddon Ph.D.: We also see a lot of trends in hiring practices where managers, even in STEM-related fields, are interested in "soft skills" like communication, problem solving, interdisciplinary skills, creativity, and critical thinking, all of which are at the cornerstone of studies in religion, philosophy, and the humanities.
PBS
WashingtonPost
There are also a lot of areas within STEM-oriented fields that require cultural and moral considerations. There are many examples that I could mention, but a few would include that the NHTSA has included "ethical considerations" as one of the criteria that auto makers must satisfy as they develop self-driving cars, and the social and ethical issues associated with access to healthcare and new technology.