What Does a Chaplain Do and How Much Do They Get Paid?
Chaplaincy is a critical field that is growing around the world. Chaplains provide spiritual and emotional support to individuals who may be going through difficult times, and they are trained to provide care and counseling to people from a wide range of backgrounds. These spiritual caregivers are most often found in settings such as hospitals, prisons, schools, and military bases, although new institutions and organizations are recognizing the need for chaplains all the time.
In 2019, a National Opinion Research Center survey found that 21 percent of Americans reported contact with a chaplain in the previous two years, mostly through health care organizations, and the pandemic has surely increased that number since then.
What Chaplains Are Paid
The salary of a chaplain can vary depending on a number of factors, including the chaplain’s level of education and experience, the type of organization they work for, and the location of the job.
According to Glassdoor, as of June 2024, the median total pay for Chaplains in the United States was $107,160 per year, with an average yearly salary of $74,247. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists child care services, the federal government, civic and social organizations, and colleges and universities as among the top-paying industries hiring clergy professionals.
Healthcare Chaplains Salary
In hospitals, chaplains make an average of $83,845 per year. Healthcare chaplains also work in hospice and long-term care settings, rehabilitation centers, and mental health facilities. As of May 2023, over 8,000 clergy professionals were employed at general medical and surgical hospitals in the U.S., with another 8,000 employed by home healthcare services.
Military Chaplains Salary
Chaplains working for the federal government, such as the Department of Justice, and serving as military chaplains also earn competitive salaries and benefits. For instance, chaplains employed at the Department of Veterans Affairs earn a median of $78,498, while those at the US Army Reserves earn a median of $82,961.
Prison Chaplains Salary
Federal Bureau of Prisons chaplains typically start at a GS-9 level, but there are opportunities available for qualified candidates at a GS-12 level. As of June 2024, the Federal Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison Systems was hiring Chief Chaplains for GS-12 corrections positions nationwide, offering a salary range of $86,962 to $140,713 per year. In a prison setting, chaplains provide counseling and support to inmates, helping them to come to terms with their actions and prepare for their eventual release. They may also provide guidance to inmates on how to lead a more fulfilling life and make better choices in the future.
Chaplaincy: A Growing Field
There are chaplaincy job openings in the military, federal prisons, higher education, health care organizations, community centers, sports teams, and even Fortune 500 companies. Chaplaincy has evolved greatly over the past decade. Even some veterinary hospitals now hire chaplains to care for pets and their humans during difficult times.
Chaplains work with people from all religious backgrounds, or from none at all, offering a supportive presence, counseling, and the occasional ritual. In most settings, chaplains are guided by a code of ethics that prohibits proselytizing and requires them to serve everyone.
Becoming a chaplain requires specialized training, although training varies depending on the position. Hartford International University for Religion and Peace offers an MA in Chaplaincy program with various optional specializations. What makes this program unique is the interreligious nature of Hartford International’s student body and faculty, which allows chaplains to learn in a setting that resembles the pluralistic world we live in.
The actual duties of chaplains are determined by the sector and specific institution in which they are employed. While the roles and responsibilities of military and prison chaplains are clearly defined, the work of chaplains in colleges, universities, and community settings is more improvisational. It’s estimated that the career is expected to grow 12% between 2018 and 2028. That’s almost 400,000 job opportunities in the United States alone.
Overall, chaplaincy is important and rewarding because it provides individuals with emotional and spiritual support when they need it most. Chaplains are trained to offer a wide range of support, including emotional support and counseling, and to provide services in a non-denominational and non-judgmental way, so that their services are accessible to people of all beliefs and backgrounds.
Tags: what does a chaplain do