Interpreting Your Compensation Report's Percentile Graphs

We are delighted to offer your organization this compensation tool as a resource. We trust it helps you to be better stewards of your resources as you generously and adequately provide salary and benefits packages for your staff. We’ve put together a short video that explains how to read the data you receive and what exactly this data means for your organization.

When you complete a compensation form, you will receive a report with two charts. The first chart shows where your organization’s compensation for a specific position lies in regard to other organizations with similar attendance. The second chart shows where your organization’s compensation for a specific position lies in regard to other organizations with similar budgets. It is important to note that this data has already been adjusted to account for the cost of living in your area.

When looking at your data, you should take into account your organization’s personal story. For example, if your pastor’s compensation lies in the 15th percentile it does not necessarily mean the pastor is underpaid. Similarly, if your pastor’s compensation lies in the 65th percentile it does not necessarily mean the pastor is overpaid. Rather, it is important to look at this data through the lens of your specific organization. If this is your pastor’s first time being a lead pastor it makes sense that they would not be compensated as the same as someone who has been the head pastor of the church for 30 years. If however, your pastor of 30 years is in the 15th percentile, it is probably time to reevaluate their compensation. 

Compensation is a stewardship decision that comes from those who govern your organization. Our compensation reports are based on real data that shows where your organization falls in regards to other organizations of similar budgets and sizes. We hope this data allows you to be a good steward of your organization’s resources and helps you make important compensation decisions. 

Do you have more questions about how to interpret your compensation report? Check out our in-depth tutorial. 

We, here at Vanderbloemen, are here to help you as you make compensation and stewardship decisions. Please reach out to us if you have any questions about our compensation resources or are looking for your next hire.