How much should seminary profs be paid?

Secular universities are paying roughly between 52 and 65 for a new professor with no experience at the university level. Some are paying more.

 

Considering that a seminary prof is a graduate level prof- 100,000 per year, but with summers off and the right to take sabaticals with pay, I think, I would be willing to do it for less.

 

It depends.Is the seminary well estsablished and in good financial shape?Is this the first teaching assignment?How well established is the seminary? And a bunch of other variables.

 

Good question!

Is there a known answer?

 

I have been told by some profs that most starting seminary profs make less than most starting pastors.

 

That is most certainly true of starting Christian college profs. I think it is less true of seminary profs.

Another consideration, unless it was mentioned and I missed it, is the cost of living of the area in which the seminary is located. LA will be much higher than Wake Forest (SEBTS), for instance.

But as a general rule, I would think at least 50K plus benefits for a 1st year assistant prof.

Bill

 

50k plus benefits sounds reasonable.

 

Whatever the microeconomy of the seminary will allow, keeping with good stewardship. Profs are likely elders, so they are worthy of their pay as people who live teaching the Word.

Why do you ask?

 

$100,000

plus benefits

plus a limited 12 hour teaching schedule

plus an expense account to take student out to eat

plus a fully paid sabat every five years

plus a large book allowance per year

 

Did anyone ever figure this out?

I know that I found some data at ATS - but it WAS DIFFICULT to read what was really being said about salaries.

 

What's a professor worth?

A reasonable salary probably would be $50,000 plus benefits. As a general rule of thumb, a seminary professor should be commensurate in salary and benefits with a senior pastor among the constituency whom the seminary serves. Furthermore, IMHO, a seminary prof should be an experienced man in the ministry and would probably have served as a senior pastor at some point. The qualifications for a seminary professor include character, wisdom and experience—he is not a mere academic.

 

Great question!

I'm a student at DTS and in my many years there I have heard stories about its founding. When the seminary first started the professors were not paid. They came just to teach others and depended on God for their provision. Later, when the school decided to start paying their profs (but not very much) they started charging tuition. Well students went to complain to the administration. Their argument was that it was wrong for them to charge tuition, the students didn't have the money to pay...and besides, the profs should continue to rely on God to provide. To which they received the stinging rebuke which to the effect said, 'now it's your turn to rely on God to provide.'

I have always loved that story. To think that in the beginning the profs weren't paid, and learning there was free.

I know it doesn't answer the OP, but it sure does fit with the discussion.
Of course today, even if profs weren't paid seminaries would still cost, what with building upkeep, accredidation fees, insurance, and other such stuff.

 

Is that what we pay our SBC professors? That would be about 8 - 12k below average, but reasonable considering our seminaries are usually in lower cost of living areas (excluding GGBTS).

 

Wow, preachinjesus, are you by any chance a trustee of a seminary, and, if so, can I come and teach there?!

As it happens, I am a trustee of a new seminary, John Leland Center for Theological Studies, and we are paying in the 50K range for the few full-time people we have. However, we permit them ... even encourage them ... to accept church positions to help supplement their salaries. Washington, DC, is a high-cost place to live.

 

Sounds great! Just wondering PJ. Is teaching in a seminary like that part of your career plans?