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Careers›Roles›Parish Religious Education Director
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.

Parish Religious Education Director pay typically runs $75K–$107K at this level, and jobs in this field are projected to grow 2% through 2034.

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
Professional ServicesConsumer Services · 80%Education · 13%Healthcare · 5%Government · 1%
Job markets for Parish Religious Education Directors
Where Parish Religious Education Director jobs concentrate · ~83 metro areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Social Services
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers

While you’re learning about the Parish Religious Education Director role, anything we can help you with this week?

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.

What people in this role value
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

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Career Paths

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

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Energy & Utilities$95K+57%
Professional Services$91K+50%
Technology & Information$83K+37%
Construction$74K+21%
Wholesale & Distribution$73K+20%
Compared to Social Services average across all industries
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.
Related rolesExplore Social Services →
Parish Religious Education DirectorMusic Ministries DirectorMen's Ministries DirectorYouth and Family DirectorChildren's Ministry DirectorYouth Ministry DirectorMinistries DirectorProgram DirectorReligious Activities DirectorCampus Ministry DirectorReligious Education DirectorWorship DirectorLeadership DirectorYouth Development DirectorAdult Ministries DirectorChildren and Youth Ministries DirectorChristian Education DirectorChildren and Family Ministries DirectorCampus Ministries DirectorYouth Ministries DirectorYouth and Young Adult Ministries DirectorYouth and Family Ministries DirectorChildren's DirectorWomen's Ministries DirectorSenior Adults Director+1 more

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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 Parish Religious Education Director pay & employment are 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
Mapped SOC Codes
21-2021.00

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

midEducation Coordinator$65KmidEducation Specialist$69KmidEducation Counselor$65KmidHealth Education Coordinator$63KmidHealth Education Specialist$63KdirectorMusic Ministries Director$59K
View all Social Services roles →

Common questions about what it's like to be a Parish Religious Education Director

What does a Parish Religious Education Director do?

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.

How much does a Parish Religious Education Director make?

Median pay for a Parish Religious Education Director is about $55K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $34K to $107K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).

What skills does a Parish Religious Education Director need?

Core skills for this role include Speaking, Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness, Instructing, and Service Orientation.

What education do you need to be a Parish Religious Education Director?

Most people in this role hold a bachelor's degree.

Is a Parish Religious Education Director in demand?

Employment in this field is projected to grow about 2.1% through 2034, with roughly 21,460 people working in it today (BLS).

What jobs are similar to a Parish Religious Education Director?

Closely related roles include Education Coordinator, Education Specialist, and Education Counselor.

Career advice

Parish Religious Education Director career advice

Do one small thing to grow in your career this week. Pick one of these; each comes with the words to use.

  • ConversationLearn how your manager likes to work, so the everyday stuff stops getting in the way.Ask how your manager likes to work
  • Micro habitTelling people what kind of conversation this is, so they know how to respond.Say whether you're exploring or deciding
  • Simple exerciseSee a company the way its own people do, before you ask to join it.Understand a company before you apply
  • Simple exerciseUntangle the sting from the substance, before you respond.Sort feedback that stung

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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.

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