Occupations · Community and Social Service
Directors, Religious Activities and Education
Coordinate or design programs and conduct outreach to promote the religious education or activities of a denominational group. May provide counseling, guidance, and leadership relative to marital, health, financial, and religious problems.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 21-2021.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 96% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $57,820 | 3,500 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $74,150 | 1,350 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $47,500 | 1,230 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $59,080 | 560 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $52,320 | 520 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $82,220 | 480 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $60,590 | 440 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | $58,150 | 410 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY | $59,480 | 390 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $58,830 | 360 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $48,900 | 320 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $59,800 | 280 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Develop or direct study courses or religious education programs within congregations.
- Identify and recruit potential volunteer workers.
- Select appropriate curricula or class structures for educational programs.
- Counsel individuals regarding interpersonal, health, financial, or religious problems.
- Schedule special events, such as camps, conferences, meetings, seminars, or retreats.
- Collaborate with other ministry members to establish goals and objectives for religious education programs or to develop ways to encourage program participation.
- Train and supervise religious education instructional staff.
- Implement program plans by ordering needed materials, scheduling speakers, reserving space, or handling other administrative details.
- Analyze member participation or changes in congregational emphasis to determine needs for religious education.
- Analyze revenue and program cost data to determine budget priorities.
- Attend workshops, seminars, or conferences to obtain program ideas, information, or resources.
- Visit congregational members' homes or arrange for pastoral visits to provide information or resources regarding religious education programs.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2023-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2023-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 6
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| missionary | 2636.3 | exact |
| pastoral worker | 3413.2 | close |
| chaplain | 2636.1 | broader |
| minister of religion | 2636.2 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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