Religious Organizations — Average Employee Salary

The average employee in the religious organizations industry earns $37,647 per year ($18.10/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.

$37,647
Avg Annual Pay
197,051
Total Employees
25,826
Total Establishments
8
Avg Employees/Business

What Do Religious Organizations Workers Earn?

At $37,647/year (equivalent to $18.10/hour for a full-time worker), religious organizations wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.

Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.

The typical religious organizations business employs 8 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.

Wages as a Percentage of Revenue

53.9%

For the average religious organizations business generating $559K/year with 8 employees at $37,647 each, total payroll represents roughly 53.9% of revenue. This is a labor-intensive industry — payroll is the dominant expense.

What This Means for Business Owners

If you're starting or running a religious organizationsbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:

  • Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $48,941/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
  • Typical team size: 8 employees = ~$301,176/year in base payroll.
  • Hourly equivalent: $18.10/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
  • Revenue needed: With average revenue of $559K/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.

See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.

View full Religious Organizations revenue benchmarks →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do religious organizations employees make?
The average religious organizations employee earns $37,647 per year, which is equivalent to $18.10/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
How many people work in the religious organizations industry?
The religious organizations industry employs 197,051 workers across 25,826 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 8 employees.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).