Clergy Salary
Clergies in Georgia make a median of $60,530 a year, or about $29.1 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $65,872 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,434/month, about 36.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in Georgia?
About clergies
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What this looks like in Georgia
Clergy pay in Georgia tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,434/month, which is 36% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level clergies (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $50K spread from bottom to top.
Clergy salary by metro in Georgia
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $65K | +8% | 720 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $60K | -2% | 40 |
| Columbus | $57K | -5% | 40 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $57K | -6% | 80 |
| Savannah | $54K | -11% | 60 |
| Macon-Bibb County | $54K | -12% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track clergy salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a clergy afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 36% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for clergies in Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new clergies typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,116/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Georgia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for clergies?
Georgia pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do clergies make in Georgia?
The median is $60,530 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,260, and experienced clergies can clear $85,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,984/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 36% 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 Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (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 $65,872 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.