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Setting Your Pastor’s Salary Package

Every fall, the Executive Leadership Team sets the suggested pastor’s compensation formula for the coming year. The formula includes a Standard Base Salary. For 2013, that figure is $37,233.

However, that’s only the starting point of the fulltime salary package. The complete recommendation also includes benefits, reimbursement, and other factors.

Some churches use only the suggested Standard Base Salary. They figure that if the total salary package equals $37,233, then their pastor is fulltime. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

The minimum fulltime salary includes that base amount, plus additional compensation depending on:

• Years of service.
• Education level.
• The church’s average attendance.
• Staff size.

Plus these benefits:

• Housing allowance.
• Utilities.
• Medical and disability insurance.
• SECA and pension.
• Vacation.

If a church doesn’t meet the criteria in full (the base salary plus the additional factors plus the benefits):

• The pastor is not considered fulltime.
• The pastor may pursue supplemental employment to achieve this compensation level.

And this is only the minimum. The hope is that churches would exceed these guidelines for their pastor.

Three pages give all of the information needed to set your pastor’s salary.

• Standard Base Salary
• Additional Notes
• Employee Benefits and Business Expenses

You can download all three parts in one PDF document.