How to become a Director

Official title: Directors, Religious Activities and Education

Also called: Adult Ministries Director, Campus Ministries Director, Children's Ministries Director, Christian Education Director, Religious Education Coordinator, Religious Education Director, Senior Adults Director, Women's Ministries Director, Youth Ministries Director, Youth Pastor

Coordinate or design programs and conduct outreach to promote the religious education or activities of a denominational group. May provide counseling, guidance, and leadership relative to marital, health, financial, and religious problems.

Main tasks

• Develop or direct study courses or religious education programs within congregations.
• Identify and recruit potential volunteer workers.
• Select appropriate curricula or class structures for educational programs.
• Schedule special events, such as camps, conferences, meetings, seminars, or retreats.
• Counsel individuals regarding interpersonal, health, financial, or religious problems.
• Collaborate with other ministry members to establish goals and objectives for religious education programs or to develop ways to encourage program participation.
• Train and supervise religious education instructional staff.
• Implement program plans by ordering needed materials, scheduling speakers, reserving space, or handling other administrative details.

How to become one

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Ways in

• College: Education & Teaching degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $52,100 a year The middle half earn $44,010 to $73,730.
• About 141,900 people work in this job now, and about 146,600 are projected by 2035. (+3.3%)
• People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Related jobs

• Clergy

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Director?

Ways in include: Education & Teaching degrees.

How much does a Director earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $52,100 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $44,010 to $73,730.

Is a Director a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 141,900 to about 146,600 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Director?

Usually. 67% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Director?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.