Pay change since 2024 vs. inflation
Change in pay package, Southern Baptist churches (in percent)
Key finding
Senior pastor pay slipped while office staff pay rose fastest.
- Office personnel: 8.5%
- Inflation (CPI): 6.3%
- Other full-time ministers: 5.3%
Source: Lifeway Research, Southern Baptist Pastor Pay Stagnant Since 2024 · n=3,888 Southern Baptist respondents. Published Sep 8, 2026.
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Questions about this statistic
What does this statistic show?
Senior pastor pay slipped while office staff pay rose fastest. Office personnel: 8.5%. Inflation (CPI): 6.3%. Other full-time ministers: 5.3%.
Who published this data?
Lifeway Research, 2025. Source: Lifeway Research, Southern Baptist Pastor Pay Stagnant Since 2024 (https://research.lifeway.com/2026/09/08/southern-baptist-pastor-pay-stagnant-since-2024/).
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About this data
Leader Insights collects statistics about U.S. churches from published research by organizations such as Lifeway Research, Barna Group, Springtide, the American Bible Society and PRRI. Every number is checked against the wording of the original source before it is published, and each statistic links back to the study it came from. Figures are reproduced from the publishers named above; see the source for full methodology.