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.
- Median pay
- $52,100
- Doing it now
- 141,900
- By 2035
- Up 3.3%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
a year
across the country
13,000 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Identify and recruit potential volunteer workers.
- Train and supervise religious education instructional staff.
- Develop or direct study courses or religious education programs within congregations.
- Select appropriate curricula or class structures for educational programs.
- Implement program plans by ordering needed materials, scheduling speakers, reserving space, or handling other administrative details.
- Counsel individuals regarding interpersonal, health, financial, or religious problems.
- Analyze member participation or changes in congregational emphasis to determine needs for religious education.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Religious EducationSee 98 colleges that teach it
- Religious Music and WorshipSee 138 colleges that teach it
- Health Professions Education, Ethics, and HumanitiesSee 36 colleges that teach it
- Bible/Biblical StudiesSee 197 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Helping and teaching
Leading and persuading
Creative and expressive
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $52,100 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.