I run the largest national study of Youth Pastor compensation (#YPSurvey19); with over 4,000 respondents across three years of data. My survey has over fifty questions, and deals with everything from how old your church and how much debt they have to how many nights a week is a Youth Pastor out for regularly scheduled programming. If you haven't taken this year's survey yet, CLICK HERE to get in the game! After nearly three years of breathing deeply of these data cycles, I've discovered a few trends...and a few red flags every single Youth Pastor and Church Administrator needs to know about.
1. If You Want To Save Money, Hire A Woman?
Every church worker loves to save money, but please DO NOT take this short cut. Our data shows over a 12% wage gap between men and women; and in 2019 its time for the Church to lead the way in equitable pay across gender lines. Interestingly, the denomination that has more than a third of their respondents being female (Methodists) apparently don't pay their female Youth Pastors very well. Their average compensation among 23 denominational classifications (including non-denom.) pegs them in the bottom third. Only 16 of the top 150 highest paid Youth Pastors are female. However, Presbyterian women are paid apples-to-apples the same as their male counterparts.
2. Seminary Is Optional
If you want to be a lifer and stay in Youth Ministry for a long time, you need a college degree, our data says. Over 95% of 20+ year veterans indicated having completed their degree. However, only about half of the double-decade club have a Masters.
3. There Are Not Many Hourly YP's...Yet!
Over 96% of Youth Pastors are considered salaried; meaning they are not eligible for overtime compensation. In states like California, where overtime laws are changing rapidly, I expect this number to shift drastically by 2022 when salaried employees must earn a minimum of $62,400. The average California YP earns $57k in 2018.
4. More Churches Don't Realize They Are Paying Illegal Wages
Because of salary laws, 1 in 5 California YP's indicated earning a wage that is illegal in 2018. Know your state's compensation laws and make sure you are not being undercompensated. Being a martyr for the budget is not an excuse for the church doing something illegal, even if they don't know it yet.
5. More Skill Does Not Always Mean More Money
Interestingly, there is an 11% pay gap between YP's who can lead worship and those who cannot. There is a nearly 15% pay gap between YP's who are out one night a week, and those who are out multiple nights a week. Simply put, churches who require a lot out of their YP don't always pay them more for their skill...but churches who are looking for highly specialized YP's are willing to pay a premium and generally protect them from burnout. Know the signs during your next interview!
About Dan Navarra
Dan Navarra is the Founder of YPCompPros.com, specializing in Youth Pastor compensation and interview techniques. He is also a full-time Pastor in Turlock, California at Monte Vista Chapel where he oversees the High School Ministry, is on the weekend preaching team, oversees HR, and even dabbles in Men's Ministry. Him and his wife, Amy, have three boys. In his free time, he loves baseball, pizza and playing music.