Clergy pay range in Rochester
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,210 a year or less, while the top 10% make $95,540 or more. The middle half of clergy in Rochester earn between $48,200 and $75,010.
- $36K10th
- $48K25th
- $60KMedian
- $75K75th
- $96K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $65,040 | $5,420 | $31.27 |
| Median | $59,710 | $4,976 | $28.71 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $48,200 | $4,017 | $23.17 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $75,010 | $6,251 | $36.06 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Clergy pay in Rochester vs. New York and the U.S.
Clergy in Rochester earn 12% less than the New York average ($73,790) and about the same as the U.S. average ($66,860). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $60,810.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester | $65,040 | $59,710 | $36,210 | $95,540 | 470 |
| New York | $73,790 | $58,580 | $38,780 | $129,200 | 7,790 |
| United States | $66,860 | $60,810 | $37,860 | $98,890 | 57,200 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Clergy salary after taxes in Rochester
On the average salary of $65,040, a single filer in Rochester takes home about $51,467 a year, or $4,289 a month and $1,980 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Is Rochester a good place for clergy? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rochester area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.0), so the average $65,040 buys what about $67,027 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Rochester ($51,210). A typical home costs $285,034, or 4.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Clergy salary in other New York cities
Rochester ranks 3rd of 12 New York metro areas for this job; New York pays the most ($77,870).
- New York$77,870
- Kiryas Joel$68,040
- Rochester$65,040
- Kingston$64,750
- Glens Falls$64,410
- Ithaca$63,590
- Elmira$62,400
- Buffalo$60,320
- Utica$59,380
- Syracuse$58,730
Highest-paying cities for clergy
Los Angeles, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($104,000).
- Los Angeles, CA$104,000
- Santa Rosa, CA$85,300
- Seattle, WA$85,010
- Bozeman, MT$83,660
- San Francisco, CA$80,410
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Clergy salary in Rochester: questions
How much do clergy make an hour in Rochester?
$31.27 an hour on average, and $28.71 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level clergy salary in Rochester?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,210 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the clergy take-home pay in Rochester?
About $51,467 a year ($4,289 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $65,040. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Do clergy earn more in Rochester than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($66,860).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 21-2011; area Rochester, NY (40380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.59, this job is 2.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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