Clergy Salary
Clergies in Columbia, MO make a median of $55,280 a year, or about $26.58 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.44), which stretches that salary to about $61,807 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,160/month, about 31.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (89.44). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About clergies
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What this looks like in Columbia
Clergy pay in Columbia tracks closely to the national median, $55K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,160/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.44 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for clergies in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $60K | $63K |
| Kansas City | $59K | $64K |
| Springfield | $52K | $59K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $62K | $60K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, MO
Entry-level clergies (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Clergy pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Clergy salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $81K | +33% | 1,060 |
| California | $78K | +28% | 7,110 |
| Nevada | $74K | +22% | 210 |
| Massachusetts | $72K | +19% | 840 |
| New Jersey | $66K | +8% | 1,460 |
| New Hampshire | $65K | +7% | 100 |
| Vermont | $65K | +7% | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $65K | +7% | 310 |
| Maine | $64K | +6% | 160 |
| New Mexico | $64K | +5% | 270 |
| Colorado | $64K | +5% | 440 |
| Connecticut | $63K | +4% | 900 |
| Delaware | $63K | +4% | 120 |
| Oregon | $63K | +4% | 3,850 |
| Arizona | $62K | +2% | 1,070 |
| Illinois | $62K | +2% | 2,200 |
| Maryland | $62K | +1% | 670 |
| Wyoming | $62K | +1% | 40 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +1% | 1,160 |
| Hawaii | $61K | +0% | 720 |
| Wisconsin | $61K | +0% | 770 |
| North Dakota | $61K | -0% | 120 |
| Iowa | $61K | -0% | 370 |
| Georgia | $61K | -0% | 1,380 |
| South Dakota | $60K | -2% | 140 |
| Rhode Island | $60K | -2% | 230 |
| North Carolina | $60K | -2% | 1,430 |
| Idaho | $60K | -2% | 150 |
| Montana | $60K | -2% | 680 |
| Texas | $59K | -2% | 3,180 |
| Ohio | $59K | -3% | 2,020 |
| Oklahoma | $59K | -3% | 510 |
| Indiana | $59K | -3% | 1,060 |
| Kentucky | $59K | -3% | 410 |
| Missouri | $59K | -3% | 920 |
| New York | $59K | -4% | 7,790 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | -4% | 2,150 |
| Nebraska | $58K | -5% | 270 |
| Tennessee | $57K | -6% | 710 |
| Florida | $57K | -6% | 3,560 |
| South Carolina | $57K | -7% | 450 |
| Michigan | $56K | -7% | 1,880 |
| Alaska | $56K | -8% | 150 |
| Virginia | $55K | -9% | 1,220 |
| Louisiana | $54K | -11% | 400 |
| Mississippi | $52K | -14% | 250 |
| Kansas | $52K | -14% | 450 |
| Alabama | $50K | -17% | 850 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -19% | 350 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -20% | 290 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track clergy salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a clergy afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 31.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,160/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for clergies in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new clergies typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,884/month. At HUD’s $1,160/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is clergy a high-paying job in Columbia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $55K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for clergies?
Columbia pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do clergies make in Columbia, MO?
The median is $55,280 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,070, and experienced clergies can clear $96,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,718/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,160/month, which eats 31.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a clergy salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.44 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median clergy salary is worth about $61,807 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do clergies get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.