Director

Parish Religious Education Director

You lead religious education within a parish — designing programming for children, youth, and adults, supervising catechists and volunteers, and being the trusted educational leader for the parish community. Half pastoral leader, half program manager.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
S
E
A
C
I
R
Socialhelping, teaching
Enterprisingleading, persuading
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Parish Religious Education Directors
Job markets for Parish Religious Education Directors
Employment concentration · ~83 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
What it's like

What it's like to be a Parish Religious Education Director

Most days tend to involve a blend of program planning, catechist and volunteer leadership, and family-facing presence — meetings with catechists and program staff, sacramental preparation work, and being available to families navigating the religious formation of their children.

The harder part is often leading mostly through volunteers of varying training and availability, while sustaining the depth and continuity that good religious education requires. You'll typically navigate the relationship with the pastor and parish leadership, and you'll absorb the political dynamics of parents whose expectations for their children's formation can be strong and varied.

People who tend to thrive here are theologically grounded, pedagogically skilled, and patient with the slow work of formation in a volunteer-led setting. The trade-off is the schedule — programs happen evenings and weekends — and the personal investment that parish work asks. If you find satisfaction in stewarding the religious formation of a parish across generations, this role can be quietly meaningful in faith community life.

RelationshipsHigh
AchievementAbove avg
IndependenceAbove avg
Working ConditionsAbove avg
RecognitionLower
SupportLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Parish Religious Education Directors (SOC 21-2021.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$34K–$107K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
21K
U.S. Employment
+2.1%
10yr Growth
14K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$65K$63K$60K$57K$55K201920202021202220232024$55K$65K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

SpeakingActive ListeningSocial PerceptivenessInstructingService OrientationReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive LearningCoordinationLearning Strategies
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
21-2021.00

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.