Do you have a desire to help others in their time of need? Are you looking for a career that is both rewarding and challenging? If so, then becoming a chaplain may be the perfect choice for you! Chaplains provide spiritual guidance and support to people who are facing difficult times.
They work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, prisons, schools, and military units. In this guide, we will discuss the steps that are necessary to become a chaplain. We will also explore the different types of chaplaincy careers that are available. So if you are interested in making a difference in the lives of others, keep reading!
There are many reasons why someone might want to become a chaplain. Maybe you feel called to ministry but don’t want to be a pastor or rabbi. Or perhaps you enjoy working with people and helping them through difficult times. Whatever your reason, there are many different settings where you can care for others through chaplaincy.
What skills are most important for a chaplain? See our article here on chaplaincy skills.
What is a chaplain?
A chaplain is a religious or spiritual minister who works outside the traditional communities of faith. Chaplains are employed in the military, hospitals, hospices, corporations, fire and police stations, prisons, schools, and other locations. Chaplains often respond to situations of crisis and difficulty.
Where all do chaplains work?
Military
The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard, and reserves all have chaplains. Military chaplains have unique requirements compared to other chaplains, such as being a US citizen, being able to pass certain physical requirements, and an age limit to enter (currently 40 in 2022). Military chaplains are also required to have a faith group endorsement, ordination, and a master’s degree in religion.
Hospitals
Hospitals employ chaplains to provide spiritual care to patients and employees. Hospital chaplains respond to consults and referrals from other members of the healthcare team. These consults and referrals come for a variety of reasons, including change of code status, receiving a difficult diagnosis, and the patient mentioning the importance of religion to them, to name a few.
Most hospitals require chaplains to have a master’s degree, endorsement from a faith group, and CPE. Many hospitals have a CPE program where they employ residents, who work for the hospital for a year while completing CPE.
Read our more in-depth post How to Become a Hospital Chaplain
Hospices
Hospice organizations provide spiritual care to their patients in order to provide the best care possible and to receive government reimbursement. Chaplains meet with patients and their families to discuss the importance, or lack thereof, of religion or spirituality to the patient as they face the end of life.
Hospice chaplains conduct a spiritual assessment and form a care plan for how to provide spiritual care to their patients and families. Hospices are also required to provide bereavement care to the families of the hospice patients after their death. Many chaplains work to provide this bereavement care to the families.
Fire and Police Departments
Fire and police departments often have volunteer chaplains and do not have the strict requirements for education or CPE. The International Police & Fire Chaplains Association (http://www.ipfca.org/) provides training for police and fire chaplains. They have training on crisis intervention, death notification, and post-traumatic stress disorder among other topics. These chaplains respond to crises, go on ride alongs with firefighters and officers, lead debrief sessions, and help with death notifications.
Jails and Prisons
Prison chaplains are employed on the state and national levels. Federal prison chaplaincy generally pays better than the state level. The Federal Bureau of Prisons requires two years of pastoral experience, 80 hours of master’s level course work, and endorsement from an approved religious organization. Chaplaincy at the state level will have varying requirements based on the state. Prison chaplains help provide religious services for inmates, counsel inmates, and care for the prison employees.
Marketplace
Some corporations employ chaplains to care for employees by providing care during crisis situations, spiritual encouragement, and referral to outside resources when necessary. Tyson Foods is an example of a corporation that has chaplains as employees of their organization. There are also organizations, such as Corporate Chaplains of America, that provide spiritual care to multiple corporations and the chaplains are employees of the chaplain organization, not the corporation they provide care for.
School and University Chaplain
Chaplains in an educational setting provide spiritual care to students. The chaplain is often in charge of a scheduled chapel service and is responsible for organizing small group studies with students. Many university chaplain positions require a master’s degree and pastoral experience. If the university is affiliated with a certain denomination then the chaplain will often be a clergy member from that denomination.
How do I become a chaplain?
The requirements of becoming a chaplain vary greatly by the type of chaplaincy. Chaplains are often ordained ministers though this is not always required in some situations. Military and healthcare chaplains are required to have a master’s degree in religion or an equivalent (depending on faith tradition) and an endorsement from an approved faith group. Most healthcare chaplain jobs require at least some clinical pastoral education training (CPE).
Requirements by type of Chaplain
Master’s degree in religion/divinity or equivalent (Some positions have master’s hours requirement)
Endorsement from a faith group
Specialized requirements:
Military:
US Citizen
Meet military physical requirements
Age requirement (age 40 though there can be exemptions)
Ordination
Healthcare and Hospice:
Clinical pastoral education
Corporate Chaplains of America:
Requires 5-7 years of secular workplace experience
How much money do chaplains make?
In a Chaplaincy Innovation Lab survey, 63.5 percent of paid chaplains reported earning between $25,001 and $80,000. Glassdoor reports the average base salary for chaplains in the United States as $59,834 with additional compensation of $22,304 a year. Ziprecruiter states the average chaplain salary in the United States is $58,553 and lists Washington, New York, California, Idaho, and New Hampshire as the top 5 paying states for chaplain salaries.
Link to Listing of Chaplain Related Job Boards
Conclusion
If you consider yourself calm under pressure and care about people, chaplaincy could be a career for you. Chaplains respond to the spiritual, religious, and emotional needs of others in times of crisis. They also work in a variety of settings and with many different organizations. Hopefully, this guide has provided you all the information you need to consider chaplaincy as a career.
Caleb is an ordained Baptist minister. He has been a healthcare chaplain for 13 years and has visited over 20,000 patients in the hospital over the last 7 years. He is in the process of board certification through the Association of Professional Chaplains. He is currently the senior chaplain responsible for the pastoral care department at two community hospitals in a larger health system.