Clergy Salary
Clergies in Waco, TX make a median of $70,300 a year, or about $33.8 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $114K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.55), which stretches that salary to about $75,959 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $973/month, or 19.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $70K get you in Waco?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waco’s Regional Price Parity (92.55). 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 Waco
Waco sits well above the national pay line for clergy, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $973/month, 20.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.55 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Waco offers a genuinely strong financial position for clergys at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for clergies in metros near Waco, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $60K | $58K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $61K | $62K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $63K | $66K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $63K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waco, TX
Entry-level clergies (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $114K or more, a $75K 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 Waco numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a clergy afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waco?
Yes — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 20.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $973/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for clergies in Waco?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new clergies typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,323/month. At HUD’s $973/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Waco?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $70K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Waco compare to the national average for clergies?
Waco pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do clergies make in Waco, TX?
The median is $70,300 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,710, and experienced clergies can clear $113,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Waco?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,820/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $973/month, which eats 20.2% 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 Waco?
Waco has a Regional Price Parity of 92.55 (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 $75,959 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.