What Is the Avg Sunday Pay for a Drummer?

[Docdb04]

What is the avg pay for a drummer per Sunday based on these qualifications:

1/2 Rehearsal per choir
Knowledge of Music Theory 
1/2 Rehearsal for Praise and Worship

[baggettcindy]

I think the drummer gets paid (if he does get paid) less than the organist and it depends on the size of the church. If you do a general search in here and the "General Lounge......where everything is discussed, you will come up with a few answers.

[dfwkeys]

This is just a wild guess but i'm assuming average, (including paying churches only) would be around $50-$200 per month.  I'm thinking is because there are more drummers available than keys/organist. 

And most of the time the keys/organist is usually the music director so their pay will be higher.  I played at a church to fill in the Music Directors position for a Sunday, and was paid their regular pay which was $300 a Sunday or $1200 a month.

[LaylaMonroe]

As with everything else, it depends on the region, the church size, service time (peak or off-peak), whether/how much they value the instrument, and a few other variables.

In Atlanta, the "average" would be about $125-$150/week. But if you factored in every single church in Atlanta and surveyed them to get a real average (total salary of hired drummers divided by total number of hired drummers), it would probably be about $25/wk or less because you have a lot of churches that don't pay at all, or pay very little.

[Docdb04]

As with everything else, it depends on the region, the church size, service time (peak or off-peak), whether/how much they value the instrument, and a few other variables.

In Atlanta, the "average" would be about $125-$150/week. But if you factored in every single church in Atlanta and surveyed them to get a real average (total salary of hired drummers divided by total number of hired drummers), it would probably be about $25/wk or less because you have a lot of churches that don't pay at all, or pay very little.

Wow. 

[baggettcindy]

As with everything else, it depends on the region, the church size, service time (peak or off-peak), whether/how much they value the instrument, and a few other variables.

In Atlanta, the "average" would be about $125-$150/week. But if you factored in every single church in Atlanta and surveyed them to get a real average (total salary of hired drummers divided by total number of hired drummers), it would probably be about $25/wk or less because you have a lot of churches that don't pay at all, or pay very little.

True...I never even realized drummers get paid until I became a memeber of this site.  Like you said, there are so many drummers. Even if a church doesn't have a drummer, almost anyone can sit on the set and tap the foot and hit the snare and hi-hat at the same time. I also think most of them are so happy to play and sometimes show what they can do, they don't care about the money. also, many if not most of them are kids...teens.

[robin of drummin]

whoa we get paid, man some body should have told me that long time ago, do drummers get back pay also?

[legendary12]

Is 150 a sunday pretty decent for a smaller church with 100-200 members?

[PianoClubhouse]

Is 150 a sunday pretty decent for a smaller church with 100-200 members?

good lawd thas a lot of money for church with that many members!!!

[legendary12]

good lawd thas a lot of money for church with that many members!!!

Well the membership is actually closer btween 175 and 250 so are you saying $150 is too much a sunday for just the drummer?

[under13]

Is 150 a sunday pretty decent for a smaller church with 100-200 members?

 that sounds about average for a church that small.

[SabianKnight]

I know this is a late response to this reoccurring topic but having worked in ministry in different areas ministries need to realize that the needs of the individual and maintenance of their gifting has to be met... if a musician cannot make at least what they make on a local club date/gig they will likely loose that gift to the "world".

First off there is no "Sunday Pay" because the preparation for that service alone takes more than one day: learn music, practice music, band rehearsal, choir rehearsal then 1 or more services on Sunday.

$100-150 should be the minimum. (NOTE: the drummer needs to have a professional approach: know all the music, play dynamically and musically, and be early in arrival and leave when service is done unless otherwise arranged)

*** If the drummer has to bring any gear of their own in order to play their best then most def this should be a minimum fee.
I mention this because often times folk expect a really good drummer to play on a cheap,"toy" kit and play the same way he does on a good-to-great kit and most times that is not going to happen because of the response of the equipment itself (let alone how it affects the player mentally). Lugging gear around and wear-n-tear on gear costs.

The Church today has to be the blessing that it is meant to be and be the model for handling business and give proper support and nurturing to keep gifts in-house/in-kingdom (but people often get in the way).

PLEASE NOTE: I am not against folk doing secular gigs nor am I burned by doing any church gigs but having done both their are some real issues for musicians today on both sides when it comes to paid opportunities, and fair treatment to drum set musicians and percussionists especially.

[Mrdcon1]

I don't know what the average sunday pay is? The main reason for that is I never played to get paid I've always played bcuz I love what I do and I feel that this is my reasonable service considering all that JESUS has done for me. Understand that I'm not saying that we shouldn't get paid for what we do bcuz the bible does say that the workman is worthy of their hire, but I'm saying that shouldn't be our only reason for doing what we do. Here is some advice to anyone that may come across this comment anytime you sit on your instrument or pick up the mic to sing or whatever you do at your local church do it to the glory of GOD and your reward will be greater than any amount of money that you would get paid if you did it just for the money. 

[ehargravejr]

I don't know what the average sunday pay is? The main reason for that is I never played to get paid I've always played bcuz I love what I do and I feel that this is my reasonable service considering all that JESUS has done for me. Understand that I'm not saying that we shouldn't get paid for what we do bcuz the bible does say that the workman is worthy of their hire, but I'm saying that shouldn't be our only reason for doing what we do. Here is some advice to anyone that may come across this comment anytime you sit on your instrument or pick up the mic to sing or whatever you do at your local church do it to the glory of GOD and your reward will be greater than any amount of money that you would get paid if you did it just for the money.

Im a new bassist at my church, I couldnt see myself taking any money....but would it be bad if I did take a portion of it if we had a second service and had to travel a great distance?

[baggettcindy]

Im a new bassist at my church, I couldnt see myself taking any money....but would it be bad if I did take a portion of it if we had a second service and had to travel a great distance?

I don't think so......