SBC Compensation Study 2010: Analysis of full-time senior pastor

compensation and vacation

What are Attendance, Experience, Education, and Location Worth?

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Methodology The SBC Compensation Study was conducted

by LifeWay Research in cooperation with GuideStone Financial Resources and Baptist state conventions

The study was conducted between January and June 2010

Data acquired by the study can be accessed at www.lifeway.com/compensationsurvey

Responses from 3,580 full-time senior pastors were used for the analysis shown in this report

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What are attendance, experience, and location worth in compensation?

Seminary graduate

Each level of education

Located in Midwest

Each additional year of age

Each additional year in the ministry

Each additional year at current church

Each additional attendee

$4,591.07

$3,485.70

$(2,877.33)

$(481.09)

$574.15

$300.92

$38.32

Results of regression analysis. Dependent variable: Total compensation

Among full-time senior pastors

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How to View Differences in Total Compensation

Independent variables tested (region, years at current church, education, years in ministry, resident membership, seminary, age, average weekly attendance) account for 53% of the variance in total compensation (R square of the model), so other factors that were not measured or not measurable also can impact pastor compensation.

With the exception of the Midwest, compensation does not differ by region of the country, so comparisons should at least be made to all churches in your region to maximize sample size.

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What’s It Worth in Total Compensation?

Each year the pastor increases in age, gains more experience, and adds a year at the current church. Total impact +$393.98 (-$481.09 + $574.15 + $300.92)

Larger churches pay their pastors more. For every 100 attendees pastors compensation is $3832 higher. (Growth in resident membership also has a slight additional impact: $302 for every 100 members)

Compensation is higher at each level of education. A difference of $3485.70 is seen with each of the following: bachelors degree, masters degree, doctorate degree.

Seminary graduates have a separate bump of $4591.07 in total compensation.

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Percent of one week change in vacation for location, attendance, education, & experience

Each year of age

Each additional year in the ministry

Each year at current church

Each level of education

Seminary graduate

Located in South

-40% -30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20%

-1%

2%

4%

12%

14%

-32%

Results of regression analysis. Dependent variable: Number of weeks of vacation

Among full-time senior pastors

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How to View Differences in Total Vacation

Independent variables tested (region, years at current church, education, years in ministry, resident membership, seminary, age, average weekly attendance) account for 31% of the variance in weeks of vacation (R square of the model), so other factors that were not measured or not measurable also can impact pastor vacation time.

The model begins with a constant of 2.2 weeks of vacation; the impact of each independent variable moves this up or down.

Churches in the South are currently provide the least vacation to pastors. 32% of a week less means they barely get two weeks of vacation total.

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What’s It Worth in Vacation Time? Each year the pastor increases in age, gains more

experience, and adds a year at the current church. Total vacation impact +5% (-1% + 2% + 4%) meaning it takes almost 3 years to add a day of vacation.

Larger churches give their pastors more vacation. For every 150 attendees pastors get about 1 day more vacation.

Vacation is higher at each level of education. A difference of 12% (almost a day) is seen with each of the following: bachelors degree, masters degree, doctorate degree.

Seminary graduates have a separate bump of one day of vacation.

SBC Compensation Study 2010: Analysis of full-time senior pastor

compensation and vacation

What are Attendance, Experience, Education, and Location Worth?