How Much Should We Pay Our Church Workers?
Oct 20, 2025It takes a lot of work to figure out how much to pay church personnel because you have to balance being financially responsible, following the law, and wanting to honor and keep competent ministry leaders. If you don't pay your staff enough, they can quit, be unhappy, or cause difficulties in the ministry. If you give them too much money, it could hurt your church's budget and make people wonder if it's fair or if you're following the laws for nonprofits. Church leaders, administrators, and boards need to carefully think about how much to pay their workers based on the legislation, benchmarks, and the specific objective of their group.
Things That Matter for Church Staff Pay
Responsibilities and Duties
Pay for workers should be based on how hard the job is, how much responsibility it has, and how much leadership it requires.
The Church's Size and Money
How many people are in your church and how much money you have will determine what you can afford.
How Much Things Cost in Different Areas
Your location has an effect on how much you earn.
Market Data and Setting Standards
Getting the right compensation information for churches of the same size in your area is a big step.
How to Pay Church Staff: Standards and Data Sources
- Salary Guides by Religion
- A look at Ministry Salaries
- Reports on Nonprofit Salaries
- Churches in the Area
Things to Worry About When You Pay Your Employees Legally
Standard of Fairness
Putting Jobs into Categories
Taxes on Paychecks and Money Taken Out
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Ideas of Fairness and Pay Equity
It's as Clear as Day
Fairness
Raises Based on How Well You Do
Changes in the Cost of Living
Planning and Creating a Budget for Staff Pay
Figure out how much the project will cost each year in pay and perks.
Be prudent with money while also taking care of the church's needs.
If you don't have a lot of money, consider granting raises or incentives in phases.
Put money aside for costs that come up out of the blue.
How Tier 2: THE FOUNDATION PLUS PLAN Helps Pay Employees
- Complete Legal Check
- Report on Tax Breaks for Church Ordination
- Registering and Defending Trademarks
- Getting into the Elite Network
What Churches Can Do
- Make sure that everyone knows what they need to do and what their duty is.
- Find and put together information on salaries in your area.
- Write down a policy about pay.
- Get your finance and board members to help you make decisions.
- Keep track of all pay choices and approvals.
- Make sure your employees know how you think about pay.
- Regularly check and alter pay.
Questions That People Often Have About Church Staff Pay
- Should we pay all of our workers the same amount of money for each hour they work?
- Is it possible for people who work part-time to collect benefits?
- What should we do about pay raises?
- What if we can't pay the suggested wages?
Legal Notice
This blog post is not legal advice; it is just meant to give you information. If you need specific help with how to pay your staff or respect the law, please see a lawyer.
Links Inside
- Report on the Church's Legal Audit and Compliance
- Legal Plan for Paying Pastors
- Information about the Foundation Plus Plan
Links to Other Websites
- ECFA Staff Compensation Guide: https://www.ecfa.org/Content/Compensation
- Nonprofit HR Compensation Resources: https://www.nonprofithub.org/human-resources/compensation/
- Department of Labor FLSA Information: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa
