Clergy Salary
Clergies in Columbus, GA-AL make a mean (average) of $57,210 a year, or about $27.51 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. BLS does not publish the median for this occupation because wages exceed the reportable ceiling. The figure shown is the mean (average). Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.3), which stretches that salary to about $64,065 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,088/month, or 28.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $57K (mean) get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (89.3). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Columbus
Clergy pay in Columbus tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,088/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.3 (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 Columbus, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $65K | $65K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $57K | $62K |
| Savannah | $54K | $56K |
| Macon-Bibb County | $54K | $60K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbus, GA-AL
Entry-level clergies (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $43K 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 with published data
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 Columbus numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a clergy afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbus?
Yes — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 28.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,088/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for clergies in Columbus?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new clergies typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,242/month. At HUD’s $1,088/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Columbus?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Columbus compare to the national average for clergies?
Columbus pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do clergies make in Columbus, GA-AL?
BLS reports a mean (average) wage of $57,210 a year for this occupation in Columbus, GA-AL. The median is not published because wages exceed the BLS reportable ceiling. Entry-level workers start around $37,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,776/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,088/month, which eats 28.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a clergy salary go in Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 89.3 (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 $64,065 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.