Clergy pay range in Memphis
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,530 a year or less, while the top 10% make $75,690 or more. The middle half of clergy in Memphis earn between $51,300 and $63,980.
- $42K10th
- $51K25th
- $59KMedian
- $64K75th
- $76K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $60,220 | $5,018 | $28.95 |
| Median | $59,240 | $4,937 | $28.48 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $51,300 | $4,275 | $24.66 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $63,980 | $5,332 | $30.76 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Clergy salary after taxes in Memphis
On the average salary of $60,220, a single filer in Memphis takes home about $50,567 a year, or $4,214 a month and $1,945 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in TN | $50,567 | $4,214 |
| Working in MS | $48,890 | $4,074 |
| Working in AR | $48,826 | $4,069 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Memphis a good place for clergy? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Memphis area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.2), so the average $60,220 buys what about $65,329 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Memphis ($46,890). A typical home costs $247,229, or 4.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Clergy salary in other Tennessee cities
Memphis ranks 3rd of 5 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($61,050).
- Nashville$61,050
- Johnson City$60,350
- Memphis$60,220
- Chattanooga$59,050
- Knoxville$56,570
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 Memphis: questions
How much do clergy make an hour in Memphis?
$28.95 an hour on average, and $28.48 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level clergy salary in Memphis?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,530 a year and the 25th percentile is $51,300, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the clergy take-home pay in Memphis?
About $50,567 a year ($4,214 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $60,220. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do clergy earn more in Memphis than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($66,172).
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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR (32820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.2%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.64, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.64).
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