I'm curious about part-time position salaries overall..

[moosicman]

I've got a church that is looking for advice on what the "average" part-time music director position should be budgeted for. I've given them my thoughts, but I got to thinking that it may be helpful to get you folks' input on it. I'm not looking for too much in the way of specifics. I'm just wanting to get a ball-park figure and reassure them that they are in a good and fair range for what they are expecting (what I mean is that I know there are a million different circumstantial variables, but give me your thoughts with an "all things being equal" as best as possible). Here are the specs:

For their part-time position the person will be responsible for an adult choir w/rehearsals and seasonal cantatas, a kids choir with a fall and spring/summer service production or VBS, handbells and chimes for adults and kids, leading and organizing music and musicians for a full praise band and a 30 minute worship service for Sunday PM services. They are wanting someone with musical experience leading with guitar and/or keyboard experience. The individual will also be in charge of all sound and media production (service recordings, extensive media service presentation w/ Sunday Plus and/or Media Shout). The worship is traditional/blended. The attendance averages 130+, the church budget is in the 230K range (these particulars are given so that you can weigh that when giving your idea of what a church that size should be fair in proposing).

So what are your ideas? What are some of the part-time positions that you know of paying (even if not considering these specifics above)? I'm mostly just curious what the "market" looks like after having consulted with this church. Thanks!

[TomandPen]

There is a book by Richard Hammar called the Compensation Handbook for Church Staff that is a great resource. As you mentioned, there are a lot of factors to determining staff salaries in churches. Based on the criteria you gave, the median salary would be somewhere in the $8,000 - $11,000 range. However, keep in mind that other factors may affect the salary range as well, such as experience, region and church setting. A church set in a farming community would pay about $7,000 while a metropolitan church could be expected to pay $12,500 for the same person according to Mr. Hammar. Similarly, a person in the W-N Central region would have a median salary of $7,800 while a person in the E-S Central region would have a median salary of $16,794. So, the range of salaries would be anywhere from $7,000 to $16,794 depending on several factors. The book deals specifically with church salaries. And for what it's worth, I am not in any way associated with this book or its publication. I just personally use it to help determine a salary range for my church employees.

[rjwalker]

Originally Posted by moosicman

For their part-time position the person will be responsible for an adult choir w/rehearsals and seasonal cantatas, a kids choir with a fall and spring/summer service production or VBS, handbells and chimes for adults and kids, leading and organizing music and musicians for a full praise band and a 30 minute worship service for Sunday PM services....

The individual will also be in charge of all sound and media production (service recordings, extensive media service presentation w/ Sunday Plus and/or Media Shout).

They consider that to be a "part time job?"

I'd suggest that before they think about how much to pay, they think about how realistic their expectations are of what can be done "part time."

I see 2 part time jobs in the first para and a one or two more in the second paragraph.

Are they by any chance forgetting that for every hour out in front of the congregation there are multiple hours of preparation?

Heck, the average sermon lasts maybe 20 minutes. Is the pastor working "part time?" <G>