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Job outlook for religion teachers in the United States
Religion teacher job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected religion teacher job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 159,400 new jobs for religion teachers are projected over the next decade.
Religion teacher salaries have increased 11% for religion teachers in the last 5 years.
There are over 7,913 religion teachers currently employed in the United States.
There are 52,158 active religion teacher job openings in the US.
The average religion teacher salary is $63,400.
Are religion teacher jobs in demand?
Religion teacher job and salary trends over time
Religion teacher jobs over time
Religion teacher job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,913 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 8,691 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 8,915 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 8,767 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 8,699 | 0.00% |
Average religion teacher salary over time
Religion teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $63,400 | $30.48 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | $62,635 | $30.11 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $59,846 | $28.77 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $57,931 | $27.85 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $56,907 | $27.36 | +3.0% |
Religion teacher jobs by state
Most common states for religion teachers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 104 | 15% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 164 | 12% |
| 3 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 596 | 11% |
| 4 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 891 | 10% |
| 5 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 635 | 10% |
| 6 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,195 | 9% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 640 | 9% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 508 | 9% |
| 9 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 191 | 9% |
| 10 | Delaware | 961,939 | 89 | 9% |
| 11 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 146 | 8% |
| 12 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 89 | 8% |
| 13 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 619 | 7% |
| 14 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 190 | 7% |
| 15 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 1,158 | 6% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 815 | 6% |
| 17 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 586 | 6% |
| 18 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 576 | 6% |
| 19 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 378 | 6% |
| 20 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 201 | 6% |
Religion Teacher job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of religion teacher experts
University of Nevada - Las Vegas
University of Dallas
University of Georgia
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Welch College
Sonoma State University
University of Michigan Flint
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Mary
Duke University
University of Southern California
University of Southern California
Furman University
University of North Carolina Asheville
Virginia Commonwealth University
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Puget Sound
Gonzaga University
What Religion Teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rodney Palmer DMin, PhD, CTSS: Being trauma-informed, developing intercultural competence, and possessing the skillset to engage with diverse perspectives and worldviews will be essential in an increasingly globalized society. Critical thinking, problem-solving, and excellent communication skills are non-negotiables.
What will help Religion Teachers increase their earning potential?
Rodney Palmer DMin, PhD, CTSS: Graduates beginning their careers in Philosophy and Religious Studies should prioritize networking and building connections with professionals in the field. Such relationships will prove invaluable, as they often result in mentorship relationships and potential job opportunities. Be a lifelong learner and stay informed about current trends in the field of Philosophy and Religious Studies through ongoing professional development opportunities.
What general advice would you give to a Religion Teacher?
Dr. Todd Jones: When you graduate with a philosophy major there is often the feeling that there is really nothing that one is qualified to do except teach philosophy. But this is absolutely untrue. It sounds cliché, but philosophy gives you very good preparation for an enormous range of fields. In philosophy you learn to evaluate evidence and to give arguments that this or that is what’s most likely true, or would be the best thing to do. These are good skills to have in almost any field. I would advise people to lean into their unusual major. When prospective employers see that someone was a philosophy major, they get very interested. They realize they have someone here who does not just follow the comfortable common path and is likely to have a great deal of intelligence.
Sr Mary Neenan O.P.
Affiliate Assistant Professor of TheologyUniversity of Dallas
Religious Education
What general advice would you give to a Religion Teacher?
Sr Mary Neenan O.P.: In the next 3-5 years, I think it will be important that teachers know the truths that they are imparting, and in religion especially, they must be living it out in their daily lives and daily prayer. They must be authentic witnesses of the faith they profess. They will also need to know the distinction between martyrdom and “martyr syndrome” – which truths should we die for, and which truths are of lesser importance and can admit of disagreements. They will need to know how truth and love are related. True discernment will be needed. I also think that Classical Education will become more prevalent, and we will need more teachers for these areas.
What Religion Teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sr Mary Neenan O.P.: Beginning a career in teaching, especially in Religious Education, I would advise the graduate to have a real prayer life, so as to be an authentic witness to a relationship with Christ. Study and prayer must really accompany catechesis. The new teacher must be ready for hard work – real preparation that includes diligent planning and docility to the Holy Spirit. The teacher must try to love the students with Christ’s love and reverence the dignity of each human being. The new teacher will need to apply all that he/she has learned (effective communication techniques, classroom management techniques, and content) in a creative and respectful way, collaborating with administration and keeping abreast of professional development. Never forget that Theology is inexhaustible, and the mysteries of the faith can always be understood more deeply.
What will help Religion Teachers increase their earning potential?
Sr Mary Neenan O.P.: The best way to maximize salary potential is to obtain a higher degree (a Master’s level degree), or to specialize in something marketable – such as classical education or CGS (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd). This requires effort and an investment, but will be well worth the effort.
What general advice would you give to a Religion Teacher?
Piers Stephens PhD: The challenge, joy, and strength of philosophy is precisely that learning how to do it well has broad application, especially in terms of reasoning skills, a fact that almost certainly contributes to both the high levels of satisfaction that employers report with philosophy graduates and the great breadth of careers in which philosophy graduates have excelled. You will find philosophy graduates in prominent positions from Hollywood to the clergy, from Silicon Valley to art galleries, from engineering to law, from politics to hospitals, from journalism to museums and national parks.
What will help Religion Teachers increase their earning potential?
Prof. Patrick Lin: I’d say that the only true “philosophy job” or “career in the field” here is being a philosophy teacher/professor or researcher, and you basically need to win the academic-job lottery for that, which is harder than getting into any college—there are literally hundreds of applicants for every open faculty position. But just about any job can be a “philosophy job” if you know how to connect the dots back to the discipline.
What Religion Teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
José Rodríguez: This era of excess information is leading many astray from the truth, and it is precisely theology the main answer to reorient people to the truth. As we teach Theology, it is the conscious study of it that deepens the commitment to the tradition of the student. At the same time, it changes and shapes the student as he is exposed to diverse ways of thinking. Theology should be taught in a way that should help in the spiritual formation of the believer. As an instructor, one can lead students to allow theology to shape the way they relate to God, how they worship God, how to live within God's calling for their lives. This is a worthy calling expressed in the profession of teaching theology.
What Religion Teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
John Sullins PhD: As we are quickly automating all kinds of jobs, the skills needed are changing rapidly. The primary skills professionals will need is to be able to effectively communicate with both people and machines and then think critically before acting on the advice of other people and machines. In a world of deep fake images, fake news, and social media-fueled propaganda, critical thinking becomes the primary skill. Philosophers invented and have further perfected the skill of critical thinking over the past three thousand years, so this is the best place to come to learn this vital skill.
What will help Religion Teachers increase their earning potential?
Lisa Gawel: As a philosophy graduate, many people consider work in academia to be the only choice. While teaching philosophy is wonderful, it may not be the perfect fit for everyone. For new graduates beginning their careers in philosophy, I encourage them to use their critical thinking skills to determine the area of philosophy that keeps them most intrigued. For instance, if one gravitates toward ethics, career choices may include working on hospital ethics boards, writing corporate ethical policies, or advocating for social justice. Or, if one prefers logic, career choices may include financial analyst, textbook writer, or police detective. My general advice is to keep an open mind and use philosophical skills in a challenging and rewarding way.
What Religion Teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Prof Elinor Mason: Morally good for clear thinking. Prudentially good for autonomy, flexibility, lifestyle.
What will help Religion Teachers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Donald Bungum: 1. Read Patrick Henry Winston's Make it Clear and develop a 30-second elevator pitch for your work in your position. 2. Read Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. 3. Read Peter Drucker's The Effective Executive. 4. Write a mission statement for yourself that explains what you do, why you do it, for whom you do it, and how you do it in an attractive, exciting, compelling way. 5. Write a mission statement for your boss or supervisor according to how you understand your supervisor's role. Find an appropriate way to discuss it with him or her to make sure that you are on the same page. Then, make sure to work to fulfill both your own mission statement and your supervisor's. 6. See needs and fill needs.
What general advice would you give to a Religion Teacher?
Jennifer Knust: This is not a question I am prepared to answer. I would recommend that graduates take advantage of the many resources offered by the university to assist them. Even so, Religion Majors are well-positioned to compete with other recent graduates, especially in fields that demand a heightened sensitivity to the diversity of human experience.
What Religion Teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jennifer Knust: A Religion Major is uniquely well-equipped to navigate a complex social, political, and cultural landscape of human life today. Majors graduate with a solid grounding in different belief systems, histories of religious practices and traditions, the philosophies of religion, and the politics of religion in the contemporary world. This perspective can offer a graduate a competitive edge in almost any field, as the success of our graduates shows. We have Majors who have gone on to teach, practice law, work in foreign affairs, and, among other professions, become artists, journalists, professors, medical doctors, curators, social workers, mathematicians, climate scientists, and religious leaders.
What will help Religion Teachers increase their earning potential?
Jennifer Knust: A Religion Major is uniquely well-equipped to navigate a complex social, political, and cultural landscape of human life today. Majors graduate with a solid grounding in different belief systems, histories of religious practices and traditions, the philosophies of religion, and the politics of religion in the contemporary world. This perspective can offer a graduate a competitive edge in almost any field, as the success of our graduates shows. We have Majors who have gone on to teach, practice law, work in foreign affairs, and, among other professions, become artists, journalists, professors, medical doctors, curators, social workers, mathematicians, climate scientists, and religious leaders.
What general advice would you give to a Religion Teacher?
Ralph Wedgwood: The skills that our students acquire as philosophy undergraduates include knowledge of how to think carefully and rigorously, how to read and analyze difficult texts, and how to communicate clearly and precisely. These are all transferable skills that our students take with them into many different careers. In virtually all these careers, these skills are more important today than ever.
What Religion Teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ralph Wedgwood: Studying philosophy as an undergraduate is an excellent way of preparing students for a huge range of careers - in law, business, government, academia, non-profit organizations, and more. In all these careers, the most important thing that one has to expect is that there is still a lot to learn - but having been trained as a philosophy student, one can be confident that one has learned how to learn effectively.
What will help Religion Teachers increase their earning potential?
Ralph Wedgwood: Since our students pursue so many different careers, it is hard to say anything specific about how they can maximize their salary potential. But working hard, developing good habits of being efficient and well organized, thinking outside the box, and building respectful relationships with colleagues - these are good ways to get ahead in almost every field.
What will help Religion Teachers increase their earning potential?
Mark Schroeder: Evaluating tradeoffs between competing values in context is going to become more and more important. Evolutions in technology, workplace norms, and other systems are going to come so fast that simple rules that have worked well or well enough in the past are going to no longer suffice, and in every career you are going to need to be able to identify what is lost through these changes and be able to think creatively about how it can be regained. This skill is going to rapidly come to pervade every career from social media influencer to LLM prompt engineer. Understanding that no one else is as well-equipped as you to think patiently and critically about these kinds of challenges will help you become a leader in identifying ways to contribute genuine value in your chosen career.
What general advice would you give to a Religion Teacher?
J. Aaron Simmons Ph.D.: Again, if you mean in philosophy specifically, then I think that finding ways to think cross-disciplinarily and collaboratively will be important. My hunch is that things having to do with the impacts of AI will increasingly be a focus of philosophical reflection. That said, more broadly, I think that the skills that matter for professionals in the coming years are not specific to this or that field, but more a matter of leaning into the centrality of human dignity. Basically, we have to find ways to stop letting assholes dictate what counts as the value-proposition for human social life. Those who find ways to do that are likely to be the voices that emerge as culture shapers.
What Religion Teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
J. Aaron Simmons Ph.D.: Well, the vast majority of philosophy majors do not go into philosophy as their career field. Our majors are wide-ranging in their eventual paths. From entrepreneurs to lawyers, from journalists to consultants, from professors to physicians, philosophy majors can do it all. That said, my advice is not to let their career field determine their identity. Jobs matter because people do. People don't matter because of their jobs. Joy is found in being intentional about whom you are becoming. So, strive to be the sort of person who realizes that they are ok, even when things are not. That way, whatever happens in their career, they are not defined by success and they are not ruined by failure
What will help Religion Teachers increase their earning potential?
J. Aaron Simmons Ph.D.: I think that this question is deeply problematic. Sure, it matters that we know the worth of our work, but one's salary is irrelevant to one's value. So, finding ways to cultivate meaning-making rather than just money-making is key to fulfillment. In philosophy, though, I genuinely think that the priority of maximizing one's salary potential is out of step with the choice to go into philosophy as a career field. Philosophy invites living on purpose and that is not what generates lots of angel investing. If you desire to be a philosopher, cling tirelessly to the importance of encouraging humanity into truth, goodness, and beauty. If you desire maximum salary, go sell stuff. Should philosophers make more money, sure, but so should almost all professors who are tragically underpaid precisely because of the value-theory that underwrites this very question: that revenue is the ultimate goal and the indicator of what matters in life. Philosophy stands opposed to that model because it cultivates humility in the face of capitalistic arrogance, and it fosters critical thinking in the face of the power structures that reinforce the status quo.
Melissa Burchard Ph.D.
Chair & Professor of PhilosophyUniversity of North Carolina Asheville
Philosophy Department
What soft skills should all Religion Teachers possess?
Melissa Burchard Ph.D.: By "soft skills," I understand things like communication skills, which philosophy majors tend to excel at. I assume this also means things like flexibility, which is usually strong in our majors. The critical thinking skills and flexibility combined tend to make them good problem solvers as well. Further, since philosophy majors at UNCA get a lot of attention in their coursework to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice, they tend to be respectful team players and are capable of working with a diverse group of others.
What skills will help Religion Teachers earn the most?
Melissa Burchard Ph.D.: Given what we are seeing in the literature on what employers are currently looking for, my expectation is that the communication skills and the critical thinking/problem-solving skills are likely to lead to higher earnings, as those appear to be in demand. Those students who develop leadership skills through their degree work will have an added advantage; of course, since this is specific to individuals, we can't say that all our majors will be strong leaders, but they do tend to have confidence after going through the philosophy program.
Dr. Andrew Chesnut
Professor and Coordinator of Religious StudiesVirginia Commonwealth University
Religious Studies
What skills stand out on Religion Teacher 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 Teachers 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 Teachers?
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 Teachers 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 Teacher 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 Teachers 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 Teachers?
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 Teachers 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).
Chris Blake-Turner
Assistant Professor of PhilosophyThe University of Alabama at Birmingham
Department of Philosophy
What skills stand out on Religion Teacher resumes?
Chris Blake-Turner: I suspect that it's going to depend a lot on the job. However, one of the advantages of studying philosophy is that it cultivates domain-general skills that are useful across various positions and sectors. On which note...
What hard/technical skills are most important for Religion Teachers?
Chris Blake-Turner: Many employers prize analytical skills that those who've studied Philosophy ought to excel at: critical reading, writing, and thinking. Philosophy majors are extremely well placed to understand complex situations and problems, break them down into simpler, more tractable parts, and offer creative solutions. Combined with the soft skills already mentioned, they can communicate this all effectively to a wide variety of people.
What skills stand out on Religion Teacher resumes?
Ariela Tubert: Majoring in philosophy prepares students for a constantly changing world. Philosophy students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills by thinking through some of the most difficult problems that continue to haunt us. While students soon find out that a perfect and definitive answer to these long-standing problems will be hard to come by, they think through various possible answers or consider ways of reframing the problem so that it may be easier to tackle. In addition to oral and written communication skills, these analytical skills are developed through the study of philosophy and are transferable to any job, career, or advanced study setting. Our majors are successful in various jobs (from business consulting to technology to government) and graduate or professional programs (from law school to doctoral programs in philosophy or related fields to programs in social work or education.) Philosophy is one of the most practical majors in that it helps students develop the sort of skills that will allow them to succeed in a large variety of fields.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Religion Teachers?
Tyler Tritten Ph.D.: We have found that these skills can be learned through job training, i.e., "hard" or technical skills. In fact, most students who major in something more technical, applied, or "practical" still require this kind of orientation. In this, the philosopher is no different, except with better critical thinking and communication skills.