Pastors’ Salaries Keep Up With Inflation, But Benefits Trimmed

A new survey released by LifeWay Research shows that pastors’ incomes are slightly staying ahead the rate of inflation but that medical benefits are shrinking.

For example, 61 percent of surveyed churches paid all or part of the medical expenses for their full time pastors, compared to 65 percent two years ago. Additional benefits are harder to come by, with the most widely supported being life and/or accident insurance (34 percent).

“Difficult economic conditions have been compounded by higher costs for the same benefits the church provided in prior years,” said Scott McConnell, associate director of LifeWay Research. “Churches have kept salary increases to a minimum, but their care for pastors is seen in increased spending on other benefits that include retirement and insurance.”