Directors, religious activities and education salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,670 | $16.67 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $52,100 | $25.05 |
| Mean (average) | $62,100 | $29.86 |
| 90th percentile | $98,310 | $47.26 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Directors, religious activities and education pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 43 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $79,310 | $53,090 | $122,180 | 90 | 0.31 |
| Arizona | $57,140 | $39,900 | $119,990 | 300 | 0.64 |
| Arkansas | $33,920 | $23,750 | $81,240 | 140 | 0.76 |
| California | $61,570 | $41,600 | $118,710 | 3,200 | 1.23 |
| Colorado | $67,760 | $51,450 | $125,690 | 100 | 0.24 |
| Connecticut | $47,850 | $37,560 | $73,400 | 160 | 0.65 |
| District of Columbia | $61,870 | $46,840 | $100,560 | 170 | 1.72 |
| Florida | $49,230 | $28,810 | $89,040 | 1,420 | 1 |
| Georgia | $72,910 | $44,740 | $104,700 | 320 | 0.46 |
| Hawaii | $47,590 | $34,360 | $75,590 | 310 | 3.47 |
| Idaho | $44,990 | $31,650 | $67,100 | 40 | 0.3 |
| Illinois | $53,600 | $35,970 | $94,880 | ||
| Indiana | $58,490 | $40,920 | $91,700 | 670 | 1.47 |
| Iowa | $66,140 | $40,600 | $102,900 | 220 | 0.98 |
| Kansas | $45,640 | $29,880 | $84,430 | 140 | 0.66 |
| Kentucky | $52,230 | $35,080 | $179,990 | 250 | 0.88 |
| Louisiana | $29,540 | $23,320 | $71,860 | ||
| Maryland | $58,820 | $37,370 | $111,530 | 300 | 0.76 |
| Massachusetts | $62,930 | $57,820 | $80,160 | 160 | 0.3 |
| Michigan | $45,590 | $30,120 | $78,700 | 950 | 1.52 |
| Minnesota | $50,110 | $36,020 | $89,530 | 760 | 1.81 |
| Mississippi | $49,430 | $47,640 | $87,730 | 120 | 0.75 |
| Missouri | $52,980 | $35,940 | $112,070 | 60 | 0.15 |
| Montana | $45,220 | $28,460 | $69,220 | 640 | 8.75 |
| Nebraska | $72,500 | $31,200 | $127,710 | 40 | 0.24 |
| Nevada | $62,460 | $52,280 | $71,060 | 90 | 0.4 |
| New Jersey | $65,730 | $35,680 | $97,120 | ||
| New Mexico | $48,240 | $45,370 | $72,400 | 60 | 0.45 |
| New York | $49,990 | $35,340 | $97,930 | 3,550 | 2.57 |
| North Carolina | $63,280 | $43,110 | $111,230 | 260 | 0.37 |
| Ohio | $49,340 | $30,340 | $101,150 | 740 | 0.93 |
| Oklahoma | $47,100 | $41,110 | $74,990 | 110 | 0.46 |
| Oregon | $45,360 | $32,110 | $70,520 | 1,860 | 6.65 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,510 | $28,870 | $102,500 | 1,210 | 1.41 |
| Rhode Island | $44,770 | $37,090 | $56,040 | 120 | 1.66 |
| South Carolina | $36,120 | $27,040 | $91,990 | 170 | 0.52 |
| South Dakota | $53,360 | $27,500 | $79,330 | 50 | 0.7 |
| Tennessee | $61,940 | $25,120 | $101,940 | 130 | 0.28 |
| Texas | $75,420 | $48,300 | $124,570 | 330 | 0.16 |
| Utah | $56,790 | $30,050 | $81,960 | 50 | 0.2 |
| Virginia | $59,020 | $40,900 | $122,530 | 380 | 0.65 |
| Washington | $56,480 | $40,460 | $72,080 | 390 | 0.78 |
| Wisconsin | $40,180 | $29,420 | $73,570 | 130 | 0.32 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for directors, religious activities and education
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 13,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.7%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for directors, religious activities and education
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Contemplative Studies/Inquiry CIP 30.2502
- Thanatology CIP 30.5301
- Bible/Biblical Studies CIP 39.0201
- Missions/Missionary Studies CIP 39.0301
- Religious Education CIP 39.0401
- Worship Ministry CIP 39.0502
- Religious Music and Worship, Other CIP 39.0599
- Pastoral Studies/Counseling CIP 39.0701
- Youth Ministry CIP 39.0702
- Urban Ministry CIP 39.0703
- Women's Ministry CIP 39.0704
- Lay Ministry CIP 39.0705
- Chaplain/Chaplaincy Studies CIP 39.0706
- Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries, Other CIP 39.0799
- Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling CIP 51.1506
- Bioethics/Medical Ethics CIP 51.3201
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Develop or direct study courses or religious education programs within congregations.
- Identify and recruit potential volunteer workers.
- Select appropriate curricula or class structures for educational programs.
- Schedule special events, such as camps, conferences, meetings, seminars, or retreats.
- Counsel individuals regarding interpersonal, health, financial, or religious problems.
- Collaborate with other ministry members to establish goals and objectives for religious education programs or to develop ways to encourage program participation.
- Train and supervise religious education instructional staff.
- Implement program plans by ordering needed materials, scheduling speakers, reserving space, or handling other administrative details.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Google Workspace software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Zoom (hot technology)
- Database software
- Email software
- Event scheduling software
- Microsoft Publisher
- Social media software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Instructing, Service Orientation, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Adult Ministries Director, Campus Ministries Director, Children's Ministries Director, Christian Education Director, Religious Education Coordinator, Religious Education Director, Senior Adults Director, Women's Ministries Director, Youth Ministries Director, Youth Pastor.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do directors, religious activities and education make?
The national median annual wage for directors, religious activities and education was $52,100 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $34,670 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $98,310. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do directors, religious activities and education need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is directors, religious activities and education a growing career?
BLS projects employment of directors, religious activities and education to change +3.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 13,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay directors, religious activities and education the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Alabama ($79,310), Texas ($75,420), Georgia ($72,910). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.