Our church will be in the "search for a youth minister" mode very soon.

The church, itself, is kind of at a crossroad. They have been in the "part time" mode in the recent past....but are again considering full time.

We want to be fair.....but live in a budget.

Can you share with me some of the current "salary packages" being offered to Youth Ministers??

I've been a preacher for 15 of the last 18 years of my ministry....so I haven't been "in the know" on this subject.

Please indicate what you are aware of for both "fresh out of college" to "seasoned" youth ministers.

Thanks!! Danny

PS: You may e-mail me if you chose not to post. However, I feel there may be others who might be interested as well.

-- Anonymous, October 06, 1999

Answers

Danny,

Of course this largely depends on the size of the congregation you serve but I can say that we have just hired a part-time youth minister with a package that includes no-less than a provided house and $200 a week compensation. The transition to full time would nearly double the compensation monetarily and add personal benefits such as health and retirement packages. This is where we are at and what we feel is reasonable and competitive package for an associate. I think the largest bridge to be crossed even before discussing bottom-line figures is what view does the leadership hold of this added staff person? Is he to be viewed as an extra-hand (hireling) or is he a paid professional? That is much more difficult than merely setting figures down arbitrarily.

-- Anonymous, October 06, 1999

Danny, first let me applaud your question. the answer may be easier than you thought. first determine what you are capable of offering to a potential staff member, second what are the needs of the evangelist. i just began a new work in no. california for 20,000/year. that does not include a house, but is reasonable for a congregation our size. that may be a good place to start. good luck in your search, and god bless

-- Anonymous, October 06, 1999

Danny, As a former full-time youth minister and now a professor of youth ministry, I am regularly asked this question. A good rule of thumb is this: $25K for bachelors degree and 30K for masters to start, then add $500-1000 per year of full-time experience. In other words, a BC graduate with no experience should command a $25K per year salary while a BC grad with 5 years experience should command up to $30K. However, a seminary grad with a masters and 5 years of experience should start at $35K per year. This is gross salary and includes housing. The key is the salary should continue to rise with experience and education (unfortunately few churches recognize this fact before it's too late and the youth minister moves on).

The problem in youth ministry (the average youth minister stays in the field only 5 years!) is many churches cannot afford to pay appropriate salaries beyond 3-4 years of experience and so youth ministers either move up to larger churches or on to other associate/preaching/parachurch positions. The smaller church, especially, is caught in this trap.

Another rule I've suggested, especially for smaller congregations in rural areas, is to make the youth minister's salary an AVERAGE of the salaries of the leadership. Sometimes that figure is more realistic. But may not always attract qualified candidates. Smaller churches tend to, naturally, either hire inexperienced young ministers or "problem" older ones (who can't be hired elsewhere). It's a catch-22.

One final thought: if you are a SMALLER congregation (under 150 in active attendance), let me suggest resisting the temptation to hire a youth minister EVER! Imagine for a moment this scenario: take HALF the salary you would normally spend on a youth minister (perhaps up to $1000 a month) and invest it in your own church's youth ministry structures. Pay the tuitions, hotel & lodging for volunteer youth workers to attend National Youth Leaders Conventions (Christ In Youth, January) or one-day national youth ministry workshops (Group, Youth Specialties). Purchase the latest youth ministry resource books for your volunteer youth workers or host annual training events for your youth workers and bring in a professor or "expert" youth minister (I'd love to come to your church!). Purchase GROUP magazine and CHILDREN'S MINISTRY magazine for your youth workers. Pay the registration fees for your volunteers whenever they take kids to conferences, lockins or conventions. Essentially, INVEST in your own people rather than bringing in an outsider who probably won't be there in 3 years (most youth minister tenures are 2 years). INVEST in the future, not just the present.

This has been lengthy, but hopefully fair and innovative. Grace to you!

-- Anonymous, October 06, 1999

I'm not really the one to be writing this, not being on the team responsible for compensation, etc. I am a staff member and elder of a larger congregation in the bay area of N. California. I would add another consideration. One has to consider not only education and experience, but also the cost of living where you are located. It would be of no use to most of you to know what we pay our ministers, as you would have no way to truly appreciate how much it costs to live here. You cannot bring a person in, especially full-time, and expect them to live in poverty. Don Hart

-- Anonymous, October 08, 1999

One thing that is important when approaching a congregation with a package for a Youth minister is that they understand how much money is taken out for self employment taxes. I don't think many people who live outside of the ministry understand the difference. The going rate in this are is 30,000/ year not including housing. Good luck to you.

-- Anonymous, October 09, 1999

I really like what the professor had to say. I think he right on target. I've been in youth ministry at the same church for six years and my pay package falls right in line with what the professor suggested to you.

However, I really love his idea of investing in your own people. In smaller churches you can use those dollars very wisely by investing in your kids at the church and your youth leaders.

If you do hire a youth minister full time don't just set a number to pay someone because you could easily eliminate the person God has planned for you. I would discuss with your candidates what they need to live in the community where you are. The scales are good but you need to cover this person's needs which will be different if they are married or not.

I hope this helps you.

-- Anonymous, October 11, 1999

I think a youth minister getting low wages and making alot less than the senior minister is a trend of that past. This does not take away from the senior minister, but youth minister's play very important roles within a congregation and many get out of youth ministry and go into the secular world or even go into pulpit ministry early because they need more salary and benefits.

A youth minister has just as much of a role as any other type of minister at a church, just in his specific field: youth. I think if churches want to get quality men in to fill these youth ministry positions or want them to stay for than the average tenure(2 years by most polls), they need to accomodate them.

If guys are in ministry for money they are in it for the wrong reasons, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't make a decent wage for youself or your family doing what God calls you to do.

I know the senior minister is going to make a salary larger than the youth minister or any other specilized minister(music, children's, family life), but I would consider cost of live, housing, professional expense, medical/dental/life insurance, and those sort of things and pay what would be respectible of that person.

I don't have my degree, but I had some experience, and my congregation took a chance on me and chose quality over quantity and I pray that those churches out there would treat their minister's like they want to be treated.

My salary is around $30,000 and this includes housing,insurance, salary, and retirement.

-- Anonymous, October 13, 1999