How To Become A Youth Minister: What It Is and Career Path

What is a youth minister and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Christopher Foster

Youth ministers preach to and introduce teenagers and young adults to Christ. They educate teenagers about Christianity and encourage them to worship, leading them to Christ along the way. They earn an average salary of $40,000 per annum or $19 per hour.

Youth ministers act as guardians, and they serve as exemplary role models to children. They coordinate with the children for education, worship, volunteer work, and community outreach. They may also need to travel to communities or countries for mission trips. These trips are mostly to spread the gospel to the teens. They have reliable communication, leadership, and organizational skills.

Youth ministers hold a bachelor's degree in theology, biblical studies, or youth ministry. Most importantly, they are believers with a strong relationship to God. Some have previous youth ministry experience and an ability to understand the needs and challenges young people face. Also, they can work extended hours, sometimes into the evenings and weekends.

What general advice would you give to a youth minister?

Dr. Christopher Foster

Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies, Graduate School of Theology and, Oral Roberts University

Find a local church where you can serve and begin to apply the things you have learned-even if you are not employed there. Many churches hire from within to ensure staff fit the culture and ethos of the community. Remember your agility skills - creativity and innovation will be a requirement. Be comfortable working in an unknown and do not be afraid to innovate. Run with new ideas or test new approaches in this constantly changing environment.
Work is not your life! Focus on who you are called to be (being) and not what you are invited to do (doing).

ScoreYouth MinisterUS Average

Salary

3.2

Avg. Salary $41,513

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

2.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 6.60%

Black or African American 11.71%

Hispanic or Latino 8.96%

Unknown 4.00%

White 68.30%

Gender

female 28.42%

male 71.58%

Age - 52

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52

Stress level

8.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a youth minister

Explore youth minister education requirements

Most common youth minister degrees

Bachelor's

67.6 %

Master's

14.7 %

Associate

9.6 %

Start to develop specific youth minister skills

Skills	Percentages
Community Outreach	18.66%
Bible Studies	13.46%
Youth Events	5.41%
Public Speaking	5.07%
Event Planning	4.62%

Complete relevant youth minister training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New youth ministers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a youth minister based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real youth minister resumes.

Research youth minister duties and responsibilities

Lead church to incorporate a vision for integrating evangelistic and discipleship efforts.
Prepare presentations for youth group members by using PowerPoint.
Maintain Facebook page and website dedicate to the youth group through updating information weekly on upcoming news and event information.
Provide mentoring to student leaders through direct discipleship.

Prepare your youth minister resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your youth minister resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a youth minister resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable youth minister resume templates

Build a professional youth minister resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your youth minister resume.

Apply for youth minister jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a youth minister job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first youth minister job

Kaitlyn Darby

Youth Minister, Cariboo Road Christian Fellowship

I am a young youth leader but it all started when I moved churches when I was 10.
I met an amazing teacher named Carol. She started a volunteer program for the older kids in Sunday day school, called Junior leaders.
We would meet on Wednesday, practice the skit for Sunday, eat food, hang out and discuss the lesson plan.
She made sure it was inexpensive, only 5 bucks a week.
We learned how to lead the younger kids in worship crafts and lessons.
From there I volunteered for VBS every chance I got, my first trial was being put with each sibling pair. 😂 Keeping them under control was an experience.
But God was with me!
When I was in Junior Youth at 12 years old I would continue to volunteer as a Sunday school leader, I was never at the front but I would be in with the kids worshiping and leading small groups.
On Jr.Youth nights I would always volunteer to clean up and or set up cause I was always early or the last one to be picked up.
Later, I became a youth at 15. I was still off and on helping down stairs with the Sunday school but the leaders changed and I wasn't needed anymore.
So I helped out in Jr.Youth, since female leaders were in demand I would volunteer and lead the Jr.Youth. I enjoyed this a lot and I still lead Jr.Youth.
Another experience I had last year when I was 17 was I got the opportunity to go to a low income bible camp in Saskatchewan as a Head lifeguard, and I was supposed to be a assistant cabin leader however the Cabin leader in charge of that cabin got sick so I took over, it was an emotional roller coaster.

I never realized how good I had it, these 6 year old girls had lost their mothers at the age of 6, it broke my heart. I have never seen myself as a "prayer warrior" and I still don't but God really worked with me that day. None of those girls knew how to pray and I didn't know how to teach them so I got them in a circle. We held hands and we prayed for each other and with each other. There was not one dry eye that night.

But I felt like I grew with Christ. I love being a leader even if I am not at the front of the pack, I rather be there for the girls when they need a shoulder to lean on.