# SOC 21-2011: Clergy

> Occupation profile: https://www.xh1b.org/soc/21-2011

Employers filed 1,387 certified H-1B applications for Clergy (21-2011) roles, requesting 1,388 workers. The average offered wage is $48,243/yr, 21% below the BLS national median ($60,810/yr). (2025, SOC 21-2011) The largest filers are Roman Catholic Archdiocese of LOS Angeles, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and Diocese of Raleigh.

| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total filings | 1,387 |
| Total workers | 1,388 |
| Average offered wage | $48K |
| Average prevailing wage | $41K |
| BLS median wage | $61K |
| Latest BLS year in scope | 2025 |
| Profile benchmark SOC | 21-2011 |
| BLS area | U.S. |

Filing wage badges use the latest national BLS median. Their detail shows the benchmark code and year. A mapped comparator can use a different occupation from the direct-code profile benchmark above. It is a screening comparison, not a claim that the occupations are identical.

| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Offered vs BLS benchmark | -21% |

## Top employers (of 820)

| Employer | Filings | Workers | Avg wage | BLS median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Roman Catholic Archdiocese of LOS Angeles](https://www.xh1b.org/org/roman-catholic-archdiocese-of-los-angele-dbd5599396) | 28 | 28 | $52K | $61K |
| [Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston](https://www.xh1b.org/org/archdiocese-of-galveston-houston-0a917082ee) | 24 | 24 | $36K | $61K |
| [Diocese of Raleigh](https://www.xh1b.org/org/diocese-of-raleigh-10f6b0472d) | 22 | 22 | $40K | $61K |
| [Archdiocese of Atlanta](https://www.xh1b.org/org/archdiocese-of-atlanta-ef6316df31) | 19 | 19 | $34K | $61K |
| [Eparchy of OUR Lady of Lebanon of LOS Angeles](https://www.xh1b.org/org/eparchy-of-our-lady-of-lebanon-of-los-an-e634a4a7e7) | 17 | 17 | $41K | $61K |
| [Catholic Bishop of Chicago](https://www.xh1b.org/org/catholic-bishop-of-chicago-6fe251e4c3) | 15 | 15 | $33K | $61K |
| [Paradise Evangelistic ASSOCIATION, Inc.](https://www.xh1b.org/org/paradise-evangelistic-association-inc-a1981c803a) | 15 | 15 | $53K | $61K |
| [ONE Harbor Church](https://www.xh1b.org/org/one-harbor-church-a54b79f9d7) | 14 | 14 | $55K | $61K |
| [Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church](https://www.xh1b.org/org/great-plains-annual-conference-of-the-un-723ad1db04) | 11 | 11 | $50K | $61K |
| [Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson](https://www.xh1b.org/org/roman-catholic-diocese-of-paterson-492c34c55e) | 10 | 10 | $37K | $61K |

## Filing trend

| Year | Filings | Workers | Median offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 23 | 23 | $36K |
| 2011 | 161 | 161 | $37K |
| 2012 | 96 | 96 | $40K |
| 2013 | 65 | 66 | $36K |
| 2014 | 70 | 70 | $33K |
| 2015 | 51 | 51 | $34K |
| 2016 | 37 | 37 | $42K |
| 2017 | 31 | 31 | $40K |
| 2018 | 26 | 26 | $45K |
| 2019 | 19 | 19 | $39K |
| 2020 | 21 | 21 | $50K |
| 2021 | 31 | 31 | $46K |
| 2022 | 58 | 58 | $48K |
| 2023 | 47 | 47 | $47K |
| 2024 | 134 | 135 | $51K |
| 2025 | 206 | 206 | $53K |
| 2026 | 38 | 38 | $59K |

## State filing trends (2015 to 2026)

| State | Total filings | 2026 filings | 2026 filings per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| [California](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ca) | 151 | 12 | 0.0 |
| [Texas](https://www.xh1b.org/state/tx) | 109 | 4 | 0.0 |
| [New York](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ny) | 71 | 6 | 0.0 |
| [Florida](https://www.xh1b.org/state/fl) | 51 | 1 | 0.0 |
| [Ohio](https://www.xh1b.org/state/oh) | 49 | 1 | 0.0 |
| [Illinois](https://www.xh1b.org/state/il) | 45 | 2 | 0.0 |
| [New Jersey](https://www.xh1b.org/state/nj) | 42 | 1 | 0.0 |
| [Virginia](https://www.xh1b.org/state/va) | 41 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Michigan](https://www.xh1b.org/state/mi) | 39 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [North Carolina](https://www.xh1b.org/state/nc) | 37 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Georgia](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ga) | 36 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Pennsylvania](https://www.xh1b.org/state/pa) | 35 | 1 | 0.0 |
| [Massachusetts](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ma) | 32 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Minnesota](https://www.xh1b.org/state/mn) | 28 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Washington](https://www.xh1b.org/state/wa) | 24 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Colorado](https://www.xh1b.org/state/co) | 21 | 1 | 0.0 |
| [Missouri](https://www.xh1b.org/state/mo) | 20 | 2 | 0.0 |
| [Maryland](https://www.xh1b.org/state/md) | 19 | 5 | 0.1 |
| [Wisconsin](https://www.xh1b.org/state/wi) | 18 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Arizona](https://www.xh1b.org/state/az) | 17 | 6 | 0.1 |
| [Connecticut](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ct) | 16 | 1 | 0.0 |
| [Nevada](https://www.xh1b.org/state/nv) | 16 | 1 | 0.0 |
| [Iowa](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ia) | 15 | 2 | 0.1 |
| [Indiana](https://www.xh1b.org/state/in) | 14 | 1 | 0.0 |
| [Tennessee](https://www.xh1b.org/state/tn) | 13 | 1 | 0.0 |
| [Oregon](https://www.xh1b.org/state/or) | 12 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Alabama](https://www.xh1b.org/state/al) | 11 | 1 | 0.0 |
| [Kansas](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ks) | 11 | 1 | 0.0 |
| [Kentucky](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ky) | 9 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Oklahoma](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ok) | 9 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [West Virginia](https://www.xh1b.org/state/wv) | 9 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Nebraska](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ne) | 8 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [South Carolina](https://www.xh1b.org/state/sc) | 8 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [District of Columbia](https://www.xh1b.org/state/dc) | 7 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Louisiana](https://www.xh1b.org/state/la) | 7 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Hawaii](https://www.xh1b.org/state/hi) | 5 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [North Dakota](https://www.xh1b.org/state/nd) | 5 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Arkansas](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ar) | 3 | 2 | 0.1 |
| [Puerto Rico](https://www.xh1b.org/state/pr) | 3 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Alaska](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ak) | 2 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Maine](https://www.xh1b.org/state/me) | 2 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Mississippi](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ms) | 2 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [New Hampshire](https://www.xh1b.org/state/nh) | 2 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Vermont](https://www.xh1b.org/state/vt) | 2 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Wyoming](https://www.xh1b.org/state/wy) | 2 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Montana](https://www.xh1b.org/state/mt) | 1 | 1 | 0.1 |
| [New Mexico](https://www.xh1b.org/state/nm) | 1 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [Rhode Island](https://www.xh1b.org/state/ri) | 1 | 0 | 0.0 |
| [South Dakota](https://www.xh1b.org/state/sd) | 1 | 0 | 0.0 |


Per 100k residents uses the U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimate for that state and year; years after the latest published estimate carry that estimate forward. The latest filing year may be a partial period.

## More

- Full page (charts, tables, interactive): https://www.xh1b.org/soc/21-2011
- JSON API: https://www.xh1b.org/api/soc-employers?code=21-2011
- JSON API: https://www.xh1b.org/api/soc-filings?code=21-2011


## References

<a id="reference-data-lca-data-bls-data-soc-system-calculation-method-indicators-method-lca-data"></a>

1. Dataset documentation · DOL OFLC. [LCA public disclosure record layout (FY2026 Q3)](https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/oflc/pdfs/FY26Q3/LCA_Record_Layout_FY2026_Q3.pdf). Pages 1–4: application, DOL outcome and dates, requested positions, employer, representatives, worksites and pay units. This layout covers determinations issued October 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. It documents employer-provided application fields and DOL decisions, not USCIS decisions, payroll verification, legal bills or worker-linked moves. Older layouts can differ. Checked 2026-10-17.

<a id="reference-data-lca-data-bls-data-soc-system-calculation-method-indicators-method-bls-data"></a>

2. Dataset documentation · BLS. [OEWS technical notes (May 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oes_tec.htm). Scope of the survey; occupational coding; concepts and estimation methodology. Documents occupation and geographic wage estimates, not an individual worker’s pay. Use the estimate year and geography stated by the site; older releases can differ. Checked 2026-10-17.

<a id="reference-data-lca-data-bls-data-soc-system-calculation-method-indicators-method-soc-system"></a>

3. Guidance · BLS. [Standard Occupational Classification](https://www.bls.gov/soc/finding_soc_code.htm). Classification Principles 1–2 and Coding Guideline 2; job duties, not job titles. Checked 2026-10-08.

<a id="reference-data-lca-data-bls-data-soc-system-calculation-method-indicators-method-calculation-method"></a>
<a id="reference-data-lca-data-bls-data-soc-system-calculation-method-indicators-method-indicators-method"></a>

4. XH1B method or registry · XH1B. [Calculation and Matching Methods; Reading Public Records and Derived Indicators](https://www.xh1b.org/data-sources). Filing units, annualization, weighting, wage comparisons, and inference limits; Reading records: units, source coverage, wage gaps, entity links, and inference limits. These are the site's review methods, not validated predictions of wrongdoing. Inspect underlying records and alternative explanations.