The U.S. Department of Labor does not collect salary information for purohits, but it does report that religious workers-not otherwise classified earned salaries that ranged from $20,740 to $65,630 in May 2019, with median earnings of $31,630.
In India, annual salaries for archakas (male priests) are quite low—the equivalent of $540 to $900 (in U.S. currency), according to New Delhi Television. Earnings for purohits are in this range, but slightly lower. Some purohits do not receive a salary, but are paid a fee for each ritual or ceremony they perform. Others do not accept pay because they consider their work a “divine calling.”
A full-time Hindu priest in the United States receives paid vacation, sick, and personal days; medical, dental, and life insurance; and a 401(k) retirement plan. Some temples provide year-end bonuses and a vehicle allowance.