For decades, Christian women across Australia have been faithful leaders, workers, ministers, teachers, and social‑justice advocates. Yet the latest national gender pay gap data shows that—even within our churches and Christian organisations—women continue to be paid less than men for their work. This gap is not merely a number. It is a justice issue at the heart of Christian feminist concern.
A National Picture: The Gender Pay Gap Is Alive and Well
Across the Australian workforce, the gender pay gap persists despite incremental progress.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the national hourly gender pay gap was 8.4% as of May 2025, with women earning an average of $46 per hour compared to men’s $50.20.
Meanwhile, WGEA’s 2025 dataset shows a national median pay gap of 18.6%, meaning women earn just 78 cents for every dollar earned by men.
This aligns with long‑standing patterns of gendered job segregation, unequal access to leadership, and disproportionate caring responsibilities carried by women.
These national dynamics form the backdrop for what we see inside churches and affiliated Christian organisations.
Christian Organisations Under the Spotlight
In March 2025, The Other Cheek analysed WGEA’s employer-level pay‑gap release, revealing how some of Australia’s largest Christian organisations are performing. The findings show a mixed but still troubling picture.
Examples from Major Christian Employers
- Anglicare Sydney: 10.2% gender pay gap
- Anglicare SA: 7.1%
- Mission Australia: 7.2%
- The Salvation Army (Australia): 5.2%
- BaptistCare NSW/ACT: 9.3%
- Uniting NSW.ACT: 6.4%
A few organisations fare better:
- Anglicare Victoria: –3.5% (women ahead)
- St Peter’s College Adelaide: 1.9%
- Presbyterian Trust (including PLC Sydney & Scots College): 0.7%
But others show significant gaps, especially some Christian schools where the pay gap exceeds 9–12%.
These figures indicate that Christian institutions reflect broader workforce inequalities—despite frequently having missions grounded in justice, dignity, and service.
Catholic Employers: A More Positive Trend (But Not Perfect)
Interestingly, a Catholic Weekly report highlights that Catholic employers perform better than the national median, with gaps often below 19%.
Examples include:
- Australian Catholic University: 14.5%
- Caritas Australia: 13.1%
- Archdiocese of Sydney: 12.2%
These numbers are still gaps—but comparatively smaller than many non‑religious and Christian counterparts. Many Catholic agencies attribute improvement to expanded parental leave access, flexible work, and concerted efforts to increase women in senior roles.
This demonstrates what is possible when gender equity becomes an intentional organisational priority.
Why Does the Pay Gap Occur in Churches?
The drivers affecting the broader Australian workforce are also at play in religious institutions:
1. Underrepresentation of Women in Senior Leadership
Across Australia’s industries, the overrepresentation of men in high‑paying roles is a key driver of the pay gap.
Churches and Christian NFPs are no exception—boards, senior clergy roles, and executive positions are still disproportionately held by men.
2. Gender‑segregated Roles
Women are clustered in caring, administrative, and teaching roles—vital ministry work, but often lower paid.
This mirrors the broader national trend where female‑dominated sectors and occupations remain undervalued.
3. Cultural Assumptions About Women’s Availability
Nationally, women take on the majority of unpaid care, impacting their progression and hours worked.
In churches, these assumptions are often reinforced by traditional gender expectations around ministry and family life.
4. Lack of Transparent Pay Structures
Many Christian organisations historically have not conducted systematic pay‑gap analysis.
WGEA notes that only 68% of Australian employers had conducted such an analysis in 2023–24.
Religious employers may lag even further behind.
Why Addressing This Gap Matters for the Church’s Witness
Christian feminism has long insisted that justice in the Church is inseparable from justice in society. A pay gap within Christian workplaces undermines our credibility when advocating equality, dignity, and the value of all people made in God’s image.
Closing the pay gap is not just about equity—it’s about:
- Properly valuing women’s gifts in ministry, leadership, and service
- Addressing historic patterns of exclusion and under recognition
- Building Christian communities where justice is lived, not merely proclaimed
If the Church cannot model gender justice in its own workplaces, how can it credibly call for justice in the world?
A Way Forward: What Churches and Christian Organisations Can Do
Here are steps grounded in national research that any Christian employer can begin today:
1. Conduct a Pay‑Gap Audit Every Year
WGEA identifies pay‑gap analysis as the “critical first step” toward equity.
2. Increase Women’s Representation in Senior Roles
National data shows this is one of the most effective ways to reduce the gap.
3. Review Job Segregation
Examine why women are clustered in lower‑paid roles and create pathways to leadership.
4. Strengthen Parental‑Leave and Flexibility Policies
Catholic organisations highlight how these policies improve outcomes.
5. Build a Culture of Gender Equity Rooted in Theology
Christian feminist theology offers powerful frameworks for recognising women’s full humanity and leadership.
Conclusion: A Call to Christian Justice
The gender pay gap in Australian churches is not merely an HR problem—it is a theological one.
It calls us to repentance, courage, and transformation.
As WATAC continues its work to elevate women’s voices and reform church structures, naming the gender pay gap—and advocating to close it—is part of our call to build a Church where all are valued equally and fully.