How Much Are Church Musicians Paid?
I wish there were a nice easy answer to the perennial question “How much money are church musicians paid?”
But even though I can’t give a definite answer, I CAN tell you how to find out what the norms are in your area.
And you do want to know what’s normative! Some churches’ budgets are way over (or sadly, way under) under the “going rate” in your region. But you won’t be able to negotiate with the church if you don’t know what’s normal. Don’t wait until you’re offered a job before you find out!
Here are three ways to find out what’s a normative salary in your area:
1. Read Job Postings.
Many job postings give a salary range. If you read a number of them—especially over the course of several years—you will eventually get a sense of “normal” for different kinds of positions (e.g. part-time organist for one service or part-time choir director for two services).
2. Search for Denominational and/or Diocesan Guidelines.
Many denominations don’t offer guidelines that you can access, but some may have them posted online.
3. Ask Colleagues and Teachers Who Live in the Area.
They should have a sense of the normal range for different types of church music jobs. This is a helpful practice even if you aren’t looking for a job (for example, when I moved to a new city, I asked a number of local colleagues what their staff singers are paid, because I wanted to know if my own staff singers’ payment was normative.)
Should You Name a “Salary Expectation”?
One final issue to think about before you start applying for jobs: naming a “salary expectation.”
Many churches don’t list salary range in their job posting, and some churches ask job applicants to name a “salary expectation.” You can check out the details here in my post on salary negotiations, but here’s the short version:
Don’t list a number if at all possible.
Instead, you can say something like, “My salary expectations are in line with the norms of [city name/region].” (Or if your expectations aren’t, say that instead. Just be truthful.)
Asking about a church’s salary range may save you and the church a hassle in the long-run if you have very mismatched expectations. But at the same time, a hiring committee might not view an early inquiry about salary in that light—in fact, a number of people who took my survey said it was off-putting. So proceed carefully.
Get a Church Music Job You Love Series
This series is based on my survey of over 250 church musicians and the people who have hired them.
- I surveyed 250+ church musicians. Here’s what I learned about getting a church music job you love.
- 17 Places to Find Church Music Jobs
- 3 Ways to Research a Church Music Job Opening
- How Much Are Church Musicians Paid? Here’s How to Find Out.
- How to Write a Church Music Cover Letter and Resume (Plus the #1 Way to Make Hiring Committees Happy)
- 29 Interview Questions You Might Get (Plus 34 for YOU to Ask)
- How to Negotiate Salary and Benefits (and Why You Should)
- 4 Things You Need to Get a Church Music Job You Love (Plus 9 Big No-nos)
- Do These 8 Things to Get a Church Music Job You Love (Ep. 22 of the Music and the Church Podcast)
