Clergy Salary
Clergies in Fresno, CA make a median of $71,130 a year, or about $34.2 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.16), that's roughly $69,626 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,664/month, about 35.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $71K get you in Fresno?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fresno’s Regional Price Parity (102.16). 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 Fresno
Fresno sits well above the national pay line for clergy, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,664/month, which is 35.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for clergies in metros near Fresno, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $84K | $74K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $75K | $65K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $77K | $69K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $78K | $74K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fresno, CA
Entry-level clergies (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $63K 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 Fresno numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a clergy afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fresno?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 35.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,664/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for clergies in Fresno?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new clergies typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,269/month. At HUD’s $1,664/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Fresno?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $71K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Fresno compare to the national average for clergies?
Fresno pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do clergies make in Fresno, CA?
The median is $71,130 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,820, and experienced clergies can clear $100,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Fresno?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,636/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,664/month, which eats 35.9% 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 Fresno?
Fresno has a Regional Price Parity of 102.16 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median clergy salary is worth about $69,626 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.