Revised November 2023
On This Page
This page is your one-stop shop for information related to our Congregational Salary Program, including:
- Links to needed resources, as well as to the page with the recommended ranges ("the charts")
- Summary of Changes for '24-'25
- Tips and Reminders
Separate Salary Information
- For Ministerial Intern salaries, see Guidelines for Ministerial Student Internships in the Internship Clearinghouse.
- Resources from 2022-2023 and earlier are available on this Salary Recommendations: Historical Information page.
Resources
Introductory Information
If you are not yet familiar with our Congregational Salary Program, please view these two resources before proceeding to the Key Documents.
- Introducing a New Congregational Salary Program (PDF)
- Unconscious Bias in Compensation (YouTube, 8 minutes)
Key Documents
You will need these documents in order to make good use of our Recommended Salary Ranges:
- Salary Process Guidance (PDF): Includes values-based policies and practices along with instructions for use of our Recommended Salary Ranges.
- Geo Index Listing (PDF): The Geo Index for your congregation's location provides an adjustment to national pay norms based on local wages. (For Canadian congregations, see Canadian Geo Index Listing (PDF)). Geo Index Listings for '23-'24 are still available on the Recommended Salary Ranges page, referenced below.
- Congregational Size Profiles (PDF): Size categories (4) are based primarily on membership, with budget and staffing levels as supplemental information. This document is updated for '24-'25. Congregational Size Profiles for '23-'24 are still available on the Recommended Salary Ranges page, referenced below.
- Job Level Rubric (PDF) : The job level of each employee is based on job characteristics.
Recommended Salary Ranges
For your convenience, the Recommended Salary Ranges page contains links to the four Key Documents above, as well as the Recommended Salary Ranges by geo index for 2024-2025 and 2023-2024.
Summary of Changes for 2024-2025
A few things to note about changes for the 2024-2025 program year:
- Recommended salary ranges have increased 3% for all positions, job levels, and congregational sizes, in keeping with nonprofit salary structure trends. In adjusting salaries, keep in mind the Ruler Method, as described in our Salary Process Guidance (PDF)
- In our '24-'25 Geo Index Listing, for the first time, we have added a Geo Index 8. This is due to an increasing number of congregations in locations where wages are consistently well above 127% of the U.S. average. We expect it will take congregations more than one budget cycle to fully adjust to a higher Geo Index.
Tips and Reminders
Process is Primary! Compensation is about more than numbers. Your compensation policies and practices are a way of living your values. Our Salary Process Guidance (PDF) includes a list of suggested policies and practices to help you ground your compensation decisions in equity, transparency, and economic justice.
Local Information: For many positions, understanding local wage norms is important. Additionally, although all Recommended Salary Ranges meet the federal minimum wage, it is possible that some do not comply with all state and local wage laws. Please be aware of minimum wage law in your area, as well as the living wage.
Cost of Living: The average third-quarter Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) increase from 2022 to 2023 was 3.5%. As you budget for staff salaries in the year ahead, consider that a 3.5% wage increase is needed to roughly maintain a typical employee's purchasing power.
Ministerial Salaries: For ministers, the salaries on the charts are for Salary + Housing.
Need Help?
We are here to help, as are your regional Compensation Consultants.
In early 2023, we presented a series of webinars about our then-new Congregational Salary Program. You may find this webinar helpful in understanding our approach: