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Chaplain - Federal Salaries of 2022
Pay Rates for "Chaplain"
How much does a Chaplain in the federal government get paid? $88,089.40* *Based on the 2022 average.Chaplain was the 154th most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2022, with 1,154 employed. The most common payscale was the general schedule payscale.
In 2022, the Veterans Health Administration hired the most employees titled Chaplain, with an average salary of $83,718.
Government Chaplain jobs are classified under the General Schedule (GS) payscale. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
This occupation includes all positions the duties of which are to advise on, administer, supervise, or perform professional work involved in a program of spiritual welfare and religious guidance for patients of Government hospitals and homes, for inmates of Government correctional and penal or other institutions, or for persons in other Government activities where civilian chaplain service is needed. Positions are classifiable to this occupation when the nature of duties and responsibilities is such that ordination by a recognized ecclesiastical body is a basic requirement.
Agencies that have hired a Chaplain
| Agency | Employees Hired | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Health Administration | 866 | $83,718.11 |
| Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System | 252 | $102,687.83 |
| Office Secretary Health and Human Services | 29 | $83,635.10 |
| National Institutes of Health | 5 | $104,735.20 |
| U.S. Secret Service | 1 | $155,687.00 |
| Immigration and Customs Enforcement | 1 | $155,687.00 |
Chaplain Pay Distribution
The average pay for a Chaplain is $88,089.40. The highest paid Chaplain made $176,300 in 2022.
Common Chaplain Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Chaplain Employees |
|---|---|
| GS - General Schedule | 1,025 |
| AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not Elsewhere Specified | 129 |
| Category: | N/A |
| Occupation Family: | 0000 MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS GROUP |
Average Chaplain Pay Trend from 2004 to 2022
In 2004, the average pay for a Chaplain was $65,719. Since then, the average pay has increased to $88,089 in 2022.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 0060.