Most Protestant clergy in the United States worked for 10 years or fewer in non-ministry occupations before becoming pastors, according to a recent survey from Lifeway Research.
In a report published Tuesday, Lifeway unveiled the results of a survey of 1,004 Protestant pastors conducted Aug. 29 – Sept. 20, 2023. The study had a sampling error margin of plus or minus 3.2% at the 95% confidence level.
According to the data, 58% of respondents said they spent 10 years or fewer working in a “non-ministry job” before becoming pastors, including 34% who said they spent five years or fewer and 13% who spent less than a year.
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By contrast, 42% of respondents said they had worked more than 10 years in non-ministry employment before becoming pastors, including 7% who worked between 26-30 years and 8% who worked over 30 years.
Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, said in a statement that although a “journey to the pastorate can happen at almost any age,” most clergy “are in a ministry job by their early 30s.”
“Years of work experience in non-ministry roles can help pastors relate to the experiences of those in their congregations and to develop relationships with people outside their churches,” stated McConnell.
The survey also found that white pastors are more likely than black pastors to have five years or fewer of non-ministry work experience (23% vs. 6%).
Senior pastor respondents said they held an average of 1.7 other ministry roles before getting their current position. Seven in 10 senior pastors said they started elsewhere in the church before assuming their positions. Two out of five senior pastors said they served as a youth or student minister (44%) or an assistant or associate pastor (42%) before becoming senior pastor.
Six in 10 senior pastors said they worked 10 years or fewer in non-ministry roles.
“Leading, teaching, equipping, and caring for people are skills all ministers utilize,” McConnell said. “So, regardless of the age or specific ministry within the church there are opportunities to develop skills senior pastors need.”
Twenty percent of Lutheran and Restorationist movement pastors said they “worked outside the church for less than a year,” compared to 11% of Baptist pastors and 7% of non-denominational pastors.
The Lifeway Research report comes as other studies have indicated that many clergy in the United States are dissatisfied with their profession.
In March 2023, for example, the Barna Group released a report finding that just 52% of respondents described themselves as “very satisfied with their vocation as a pastor.” This marked a 20-point decline from 2015, when 72% reported the same.
The Barna study also found that 66% of pastors under the age of 45 had experienced a period where they “significantly doubted” their calling, while 51% of older pastors also reported doubting their calling.
