Pope Leo XIV Could Earn $33,000 A Month 

Pope Leo XIV just took the top job in the Catholic Church—and the role comes with a $33,000-a-month paycheck.

That pay stacks up to the salaries of U.S. presidents and university chancellors—but the pontiff also gets unique perks like free meals all day, a Popemobile, his own private pharmacy and more.

Shortly after white smoke billowed out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, the Roman Catholic Church named its next pope: Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the first American to take the job. Not only is it a huge honor and promotion—but it also comes with a sizable six-figure wage. 

The pope is awarded a lavish salary of €30,000 (about $33,800) per month, or about $405,600 yearly, according to Daniel Rober, a professor of Catholic studies at Sacred Heart University.

However, becoming the pope is a much more spiritual endeavor than other high-flying leadership roles; the late Pope Francis even turned down the generous paycheck, opting to have the money donated to those in need instead.