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How to Become a Pastor: Degree, Ordination & Pay (2026)
Key takeaway: Becoming a pastor is a denominational process, not a state license. The usual Protestant-majority sequence is a sense of call, entry into a church's candidacy process, undergraduate study (required by some churches, optional in others), an MDiv or equivalent where the denomination requires it, supervised ministry, ordination exams or a council, and a first call. A degree does not equal ordination. Catholic priesthood follows a separate seminary path that an online BA or MDiv does not complete. Clergy earn a national median annual wage of $60,810 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national median).
“Pastor” is a church office, not a civil credential. The United States does not license clergy the way it licenses nurses. Elderships, sessions, bishops, ordination councils, and congregational votes do. Requirements differ by denomination, sometimes sharply: some churches will ordain without a college degree; many Protestant candidacy processes treat an MDiv from an ATS-accredited seminary as the standard; Catholic priesthood runs through diocesan sponsorship and a Catholic seminary. This guide describes the common Protestant-majority sequence and flags where it does not apply. Your denomination’s candidacy office is the authority.
Step-by-step: how to become a pastor
Test a sense of call with the church that will actually ordain you. Ask a pastor, session, bishop, or ordination council – whichever body your tradition uses – what credential they require, whether online is accepted, and how candidacy works. An MDiv your church will not count is the wrong degree.
Enter the denomination’s candidacy process. Many churches require this in parallel with school. Candidacy can include interviews, background checks, supervised ministry, and written work on doctrine. The school does not run it.
Complete undergraduate study if your tradition requires it. An online bachelor’s in theology, biblical studies, or Christian ministry is the usual route. Some churches will not begin seminary without a bachelor’s. Others will ordain from a Bible college, a ministry BA, or no degree.
Complete an MDiv or equivalent where required. The Master of Divinity is the standard seminary credential for ordination in many Protestant denominations. An MA or MTS is shorter and often more academic; it will not stand in where the rules say MDiv. See the online master’s guide. Confirm ATS Commission on Accrediting status on the ATS site and institutional accreditation through DAPIP. This page does not publish an ATS school list.
Complete supervised ministry / field education. Online MDiv programs usually place you in a local congregation with an approved supervisor. Get the school’s requirement in writing. Chaplaincy-bound students often add Clinical Pastoral Education; those boards set their own rules.
Complete ordination exams, councils, or equivalent. Written exams, an ordination paper, a council, a bishop’s interview, or a congregational vote – the form belongs to the denomination. Graduation is not that step.
Receive a first call. Ordination and employment are related and not identical. Search-and-call, appointment by a bishop, and congregational vote are different systems.
Catholic priesthood, Orthodox priesthood, and some other sacramental traditions do not follow this list. They require formation in their own seminaries, usually residential. An online theology BA or MDiv from a Protestant or nondenominational school does not substitute.
What degree do you need to be a pastor?
The honest answer is: whatever your denomination wrote down.
- An online bachelor’s in theology or Christian ministry is enough in churches that ordain without seminary, and it is the usual undergraduate feeder where seminary comes next.
- An MDiv is the vocational graduate degree many Protestant candidacy processes require. ATS Commission on Accrediting status is the extra check at this level.
- An MA or MTS is usually the wrong substitute if the rules say MDiv.
- A DMin is for people already in ministry. It is not how you become a pastor.
Two students in the same online program can be on different clocks: one licensed to preach in year two of a BA, another still a candidate after an MDiv. See Is a Theology Degree Worth It?.
How much do pastors make?
Clergy earn a national median annual wage of $60,810 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national median). The 10th percentile was $37,860, the 25th percentile $48,260, the 75th percentile $76,640, and the 90th percentile $98,890. OEWS counted 57,200 wage-and-salary clergy in May 2025. Pay is often set by the congregation or a denominational scale. Many calls include a housing allowance or parsonage; BLS wages may or may not capture that compensation, and this page does not invent a dollar amount for it.
BLS projects 1.0 percent growth from 2024 to 2034, from 262,000 clergy to 264,600, with about 23,000 openings per year, mostly replacement (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34). Directors of religious activities and education had a median of $52,100. Religious workers (all other) had a median of $45,280 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS).
How long does it take to become a pastor?
It depends on the church. The table below is a common Protestant sequence, not a guarantee and not a Catholic timeline.
| Phase | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| Candidacy / sense of call | Overlaps everything else; start it before or with school |
| Bachelor’s degree (if required) | About 4 years from scratch; shorter with transfer credit |
| MDiv or equivalent (if required) | Commonly about 3 years of full-time study; longer part-time |
| Supervised ministry / field education | Built into the MDiv; some churches add intern years |
| Ordination exams or council | Set by the denomination; not the same date as graduation |
| First call | Varies by search-and-call or appointment system |
Ranges, not guarantees. Churches that ordain without seminary move faster; long candidacy processes move slower than the degree calendar.
Frequently asked questions
What degree do you need to be a pastor?
Whatever your denomination requires. That may be an MDiv, a ministry bachelor’s, a Bible college diploma, or no degree. Many Protestant candidacy processes treat the MDiv as the standard. Ask the body that will ordain you before you enroll.
Does an online theology degree ordain you?
No. Ordination is a denominational act. A degree is a transcript. Some churches will call a graduate of an online program; some will not. Catholic priesthood is a separate path.
Do you need a license from the state?
No. The United States does not license clergy the way it licenses nurses. A local preaching license, if your tradition uses one, is issued by the church, not by a state board.
How much do pastors make?
Clergy earn a national median annual wage of $60,810, with the 25th percentile at $48,260 and the 75th percentile at $76,640 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Housing allowances are common; this page does not estimate a dollar amount for them.
Can a pastor become a licensed counselor with a theology degree?
No. Pastoral care is not an LPC. Independent clinical practice requires a counseling, marriage-and-family-therapy, or clinical-social-work master’s, supervised postgraduate hours, and a state license. See the counseling guide.
How is Catholic priesthood different?
Catholic priestly formation is governed by the church’s own seminary norms, typically under diocesan sponsorship, and is not completed by an online BA or MDiv from a Protestant or nondenominational school. If that is your call, start with a vocation director in a diocese, not with a generic online theology catalog.
Related guides
- Online Theology Degrees Guide – the full hub covering degree levels and program formats
- Online Bachelor’s in Theology – the undergraduate foundation
- Online Master’s in Theology – MA, MTS, and MDiv compared
- What Can You Do With a Theology Degree? – the full range of roles and BLS wages
- Counseling Program Guide – the licensed clinical path pastoral care is not
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025 national medians) and Employment Projections (2024-34). Ordination rules are set by denominations; confirm current requirements with your candidacy office. ATS status is set by the Association of Theological Schools Commission on Accrediting.
Data verified: September 1, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.