Jobs Similar to Clergy
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to clergy, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Directors (Religious Activities and Education), Instructional Coordinators and Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors.
Clergy: $60,810 median pay · usual preparation: Graduate degree.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
- 1Directors, Religious Activities and Education
83% similar · $52,100 (−14%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 2Instructional Coordinators
78% similar · $77,440 (+27%) · Graduate degree
- 3Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
78% similar · $64,330 (+6%) · Graduate degree
- 4Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
77% similar · $59,300 (−2%) · Bachelor's degree
- 5Education Administrators, Postsecondary
77% similar · $104,590 (+72%) · Graduate degree
- 6Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
77% similar · $105,870 (+74%) · Graduate degree
- 7Social and Community Service Managers
76% similar · $80,390 (+32%) · Bachelor's degree
- 8Child, Family, and School Social Workers
76% similar · $59,550 (−2%) · Bachelor's degree
- 9Rehabilitation Counselors
76% similar · $46,850 (−23%) · Graduate degree
- 10Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
75% similar · $72,040 (+18%) · Bachelor's degree
- 11Recreation Workers
75% similar · $36,560 (−40%) · Bachelor's degree
- 12Communications Teachers, Postsecondary
75% similar · $78,580 (+29%) · Graduate degree
- 13Training and Development Specialists
74% similar · $69,280 (+14%) · Bachelor's degree
- 14Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
74% similar · $60,280 (−1%) · Graduate degree
- 15Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
74% similar · $64,370 (+6%) · Bachelor's degree
- 16Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
74% similar · $63,970 (+5%) · Bachelor's degree
- 17Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
74% similar · $61,540 (+1%) · Bachelor's degree
- 18Healthcare Social Workers
74% similar · $67,880 (+12%) · Graduate degree
- 19Residential Advisors
74% similar · $42,240 (−31%) · Training or associate
- 20Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
74% similar · $38,140 (−37%) · Training or associate
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than clergy.
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary77% similar · $105,870 (+74%)
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary77% similar · $104,590 (+72%)
- Social and Community Service Managers76% similar · $80,390 (+32%)
- Communications Teachers, Postsecondary75% similar · $78,580 (+29%)
- Instructional Coordinators78% similar · $77,440 (+27%)
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education75% similar · $72,040 (+18%)
Similar jobs that need less preparation
- Directors, Religious Activities and Education83% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare77% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Social and Community Service Managers76% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers76% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education75% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Recreation Workers75% similar · Bachelor's degree
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for clergy also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where clergy is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
Questions about jobs like clergy
What jobs are most similar to clergy?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Directors (Religious Activities and Education) (83% similar), Instructional Coordinators (78% similar), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (78% similar), Education and Childcare Administrators (77% similar) and Education Administrators (Postsecondary) (77% similar).
Which jobs like clergy pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Education Administrators (Kindergarten through Secondary) ($105,870, +74%; usually a graduate degree), Education Administrators (Postsecondary) ($104,590, +72%; usually a graduate degree) and Social and Community Service Managers ($80,390, +32%; usually a bachelor's degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with clergy ($60,810). Without more preparation than clergy usually need: Education Administrators (Kindergarten through Secondary), Education Administrators (Postsecondary) and Social and Community Service Managers.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.