Best Careers Clergy

The rundown:

From officiating at a wedding ceremony to eulogizing at a funeral, it's clear that the job of a clergy member is complex but crucial. Whether you're a priest, minister, vicar, rabbi, or bishop, it's typically your job to provide religious and spiritual guidance to members of your congregation. While you will most likely rely on the authority of a particular religious text—the Bible, the Koran, or the Torah, for example—you will encounter challenging spiritual questions and earthly events that require your own interpretation of those texts and rely on your own knowledge, understanding, and faith experiences. Much of your work can be administrative—managing the day-to-day operations and staff of a religious center or place of worship—and very time consuming. It can also be highly social, whether you're visiting congregation members in the hospital, attending a community event, or counseling a couple on the brink of divorce. It will be your responsibility to grow your congregation, find reliable lay leaders to run workshops or handle finances, and even oversee the repair of old lighting fixtures and damaged organ pipes. Keep in mind, too, that not all clerics have congregations, but may serve in other capacities.

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The outlook:

There would seem to be no shortage of clergy in this country. There were about 670,000 jobs held by clergy in 2008, and the Labor Department expects that number to climb by 13 percent over the next decade or so. Note that opportunities are often the most numerous in smaller congregations, although pay tends to be lower.

Money:

Median earnings were $42,950 in 2009, but wages range widely, from less than $22,940 to more than $75,320.

Upward mobility:

Clergy may move up into roles leading larger congregations, where the pay can be higher. Some might choose to begin teaching or writing. Some denominations offer more specific paths for advancing to supervisory roles, in the way Catholic priests or Methodist ministers may become bishops.

Activity level:

Average. You may have days of more contemplative work, or days you feel as though your calling is more of a desk job. But around religious holidays, or during certain busy periods, you may be on your feet nonstop.

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Stress level:

Variable. It can be an emotionally draining job to try to direct the spiritual learning and growth of a congregation, while also directing its fiscal health. Boundaries can be slim to non-existent between work and life when you are clergy.

Education and preparation:

Educational requirements vary widely between religious denominations. Many individuals in the profession have master's degrees. Some religious groups require no formal training for individuals to become clergy.

Real advice from real people about landing a job as a member of the clergy:

Although most positions in the clergy require formal training in theology, a religious education won't seal the deal. "So much of [getting a job] ties around relationships," says Kurt Fredrickson, director of the doctor of ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary. "Sometimes it just happens through picking a denomination or going back to a denomination that someone already has a relationship with."

Having a deep conviction that you can make the world a better place is also a key determinant in driving most people into the ministry. "And then building on that conviction are other competencies like being able to relate to people, to be enthusiastic, to be able to think critically and communicate well. Those are some of the things that I was looking for when I was hiring people as a pastor," Fredrickson says. However, getting appointed to a senior position in a church can be "painfully slow," he says. Often, it could take weeks to months before a congregation is certain it wants to hire a visiting pastor.

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