To work as a member of the clergy, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree in religious training; and
• complete moderate-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

Religious groups differ, so anyone wishing to become a member of the clergy should talk to religious leaders about how to prepare for this field.

Many Protestant ministers have a bachelor's degree in ministry, religious studies, or biblical studies. You can also attend a theology school to earn a master's of divinity or theology. In these programs, you study the Bible, pastoral care, and ethics. You can be ordained after completing a program of study. Some denominations only require a high school diploma to be ordained. Men and women can be ordained as Protestant ministers.

To become a rabbi, you must complete a program at a seminary. Each branch of Judaism has different requirements for entry into a seminary. In a seminary you earn a master's or doctoral degree in Hebrew letters. You study the Bible, the Torah, Hebrew, and Jewish history. It can take up to five years to complete a program. Men and women can be ordained as rabbis.

It usually takes about eight years to prepare to become a Catholic priest. Most priests begin by earning a bachelor's degree. Some students begin training for the priesthood while still in high school. Others begin later at a Catholic college or a seminary. You study Latin, philosophy, church history, and prayer. You should also learn Spanish. Most priests earn a master's degree in divinity or theology. At this time, only men can be ordained as priests.

Work experience

Many training programs for clergy include some form of community service. This often includes the opportunity to work in other countries.

On-the-job training

Clergy receive training after they are called or hired. This training may be more about learning the organizational structure of the congregation rather than learning how to be a rabbi, for example. In some cases, however, clergy may be brought on at a junior level and may advance once the senior clergyperson retires or moves to another congregation. Training may last up to one year.

Military training

The military does not provide initial training in this field. However, the military can provide work experience to chaplains who have a master's degree in theology.

Some branches of the military provide training to religious program specialists. These workers assist chaplains. Training for specialists last seven to eight weeks and you do not need a degree to enter this military occupation.