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2008 Salary Survey

Ordained ministers (ELCA pastors and other pastors) serving in congregations June 1, 2008

 

Region
    
Synod Name
    

Number
of Pastors

    

Average
Salary

    

Median
Salary

1A
1B
1C
1D
1E
1F
  Alaska Synod
Northwest Washington Synod
Southwestern Washington Synod
Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod
Oregon Synod
Montana Synod
  24
119
99
91
116
98
  $54,336
$61,265
$58,518
$49,308
$53,415
$48,417
  $56,313
$63,190
$56,738
$49,308
$53,070
$48,798
2A
2B
2C
2D
2E
  Sierra Pacific Synod
Southwest California Synod
Pacifica Synod
Grand Canyon Synod
Rocky Mountain Synod
  184
117
124
118
162
  $59,202
$62,623
$69,081
$67,908
$59,298
  $57,368
$62,908
$66,944
$65,907
$59,856
3A
3B
3C
3D
3E
3F
3G
3H
3I
  Western North Dakota Synod
Eastern North Dakota Synod
South Dakota Synod
Northwestern Minnesota Synod
Northeastern Minnesota Synod
Southwestern Minnesota Synod
Minneapolis Area Synod
Saint Paul Area Synod
Southeastern Minnesota Synod
  87
118
175
162
124
202
244
158
186
  $43,918
$48,067
$51,219
$47,638
$49,206
$52,921
$65,032
$63,377
$52,228
  $44,062
$47,581
$51,155
$47,221
$49,356
$53,692
$63,561
$62,677
$51,385
4A
4B
4C
4D
4E
4F
  Nebraska Synod
Central States Synod
Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod
Northern Texas/Northern Louisiana Synod
Southwestern Texas Synod
Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod
  184
124
36
93
132
90
  $52,961
$51,520
$48,957
$54,173
$52,945
$57,796
  $50,435
$49,252
$51,393
$55,001
$53,863
$58,100
5A
5B
5C
5D
5E
5F
5G
5H
5I
5J
5K
5L
  Metropolitan Chicago Synod
Northern Illinois Synod
Central/Southern Illinois Synod
Southeastern Iowa Synod
Western Iowa Synod
Northeastern Iowa Synod
Northern Great Lakes Synod
Northwest Synod of Wisconsin
East-Central Synod of Wisconsin
Greater Milwaukee Synod
South-Central Synod of Wisconsin
La Crosse Area Synod
  198
149
115
149
111
137
61
166
139
155
147
58
  $61,678
$55,449
$52,102
$54,748
$50,441
$53,345
$50,718
$51,713
$53,982
$57,994
$57,870
$51,959
  $60,165
$54,370
$51,155
$55,042
$52,560
$53,061
$49,723
$51,869
$54,210
$55,677
$58,100
$50,344
6A
6B
6C
6D
6E
6F
  Southeast Michigan Synod
North/West Lower Michigan Synod
Indiana-Kentucky Synod
Northwestern Ohio Synod
Northeastern Ohio Synod
Southern Ohio Synod
  107
108
166
155
155
178
  $62,705
$52,363
$53,256
$54,665
$52,937
$59,843
  $63,086
$52,408
$52,375
$55,258
$53,920
$59,276
7A
7B
7C
7D
7E
7F
7G
  New Jersey Synod
New England Synod
Metropolitan New York Synod
Upstate New York Synod
Northern Pennsylvania Synod
Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod
Slovak Zion Synod
  155
170
151
138
208
164
15
  $59,504
$57,987
$59,516
$48,490
$52,096
$56,687
$46,092
  $61,200
$55,064
$56,342
$48,198
$51,279
$55,849
$48,100
8A
8B
8C
8D
8E
8F
8G
8H
  Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod
Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod
Allegheny Synod
Lower Susquehanna Synod
Upper Susquehanna Synod
Delaware-Maryland Synod
Metropolitan Washington D.C. Synod
West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod
  48
132
62
199
68
165
92
41
  $43,841
$50,137
$46,355
$54,030
$46,358
$57,040
$67,980
$45,593
  $43,900
$49,284
$45,356
$53,825
$46,203
$56,785
$63,027
$45,764
9A
9B
9C
9D
9E
9F
  Virginia Synod
North Carolina Synod
South Carolina Synod
Southeastern Synod
Florida-Bahamas Synod
Caribbean Synod
  119
199
122
136
180
18
  $55,308
$55,739
$59,047
$61,964
$60,012
$26,281
  $54,208
$55,800
$58,377
$60,317
$59,339
$25,311
    Total   8,403        
    Average Salary       $54,795    
    Median Salary           $54,064


Note: These figures include the base salary, the actual housing allowance paid to the pastor or the value assigned to the church-owned parsonage (30% of the base salary), and any amount designated as a Social Security Allowance.

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