Resources
The 2026 dues packages provide flexibility and choice for congregations and their pastoral leadership and include benefits that support wholeness. Check back regularly for new resources and tools.
The Decision Guide for Minister Benefits can help determine eligibility and costs for 2025 and 2026 for the Congregational Pastors Package, Transitional Pastor's Participation, and the Covenant Package.
2026 median effective salary
Effective salary, reported by congregations and employers to the Board of Pensions, includes various types of compensation and reimbursements. As in previous years, the Board has set the 2026 median effective salary — now $71,100 — based on this data. When a member’s annual effective salary falls below the median, Death and Disability Plan benefits and pension credits are calculated using the median figure.
Benefits Plan
- Defined Benefit Pension Plan — offers financial security in retirement as guaranteed monthly income
- Retirement Savings Plan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — helps participants achieve long-term retirement savings goals through a qualified 403(b)(9) defined contribution church plan
- Death and Disability Plan — offers peace of mind and income protection through death and disability benefits
- Term Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Plan — a low-cost option that includes a death benefit, plus coverage in cases where death or injury occur as a result of an accident
- Temporary Disability Plan — provides partial income to employees unable to work for up to 90 days due to illness or injury
- Long-Term Disability Plan — provides partial income to employees for a long-term disability that extends beyond 90 days
- Medical Plan — features three coverage options (PPO, EPO, and HDHP), with personalized support for navigating healthcare, generous preventive care and prescription drug benefits, telemedicine, an online program that fosters wholeness, and mental well-being support
- Vision Plan — includes an annual routine eye exam and can help save hundreds of dollars every year on the cost of eyeglasses, contacts, and more
- Dental Plan — covers a wide range of preventative and restorative services and orthodontic treatment for children under age 22
- Employee Assistance Plan — provides private and confidential mental well-being support
- Dependent care flexible spending account — allows members to set aside pretax dollars to pay for eligible care expenses
- Healthcare flexible spending account — allows members to pay for eligible healthcare expenses, such as deductibles, copays, and prescription drugs, with pretax dollars
- Health savings account — uses pretax dollars for qualified healthcare expenses when offered with the high deductible health plan (HDHP)
Benefits Plan members have access to important assistance and education programs* that help foster wholeness. Some programs are designed specifically for ministers.
Programs include:
- need-based grants through the Assistance Program, including financial assistance for emergencies; debt relief; transition-to-college and adoption-related expenses; and respite, vocational, and sabbatical opportunities
- CREDO, an in-person, weeklong conference focused on pastors’ well-being
- Lifelong Learning programs, providing opportunities to learn about wholeness at specific stages of life, career, or ministry
*Member must meet program eligibility requirements.
Benefits to Serve a Changing Church
This brochure is a helpful resource for understanding the dues structures of the 2025 Benefits Plan.
Living by the Gospel
Living by the Gospel details the benefits that are available through the 2025 Benefits Plan and how they work together with the education and assistance programs to provide support. The reports in Living by the Gospel can guide meaningful conversation as congregations and ministers engage in faithful decision-making about benefits.
Breakdowns of data by gender, age, position, and congregation size provide callouts:
- A gap between the average salaries for men and women enrolled in the Benefits Plan persists.
- Smaller PC(USA) congregations are more likely than larger congregations not to have a minister in an installed position.
Read the 2025 Benefits Plan
The plan introduces two new dues packages and includes benefits enhancements to provide even greater value to members and employers.
Understanding medical coverage
Medical coverage helps pay the cost of doctor visits, surgery, hospital stays, and more. It also can protect against unexpected, high medical expenses. Understanding how medical coverage works can help you make the most of it.