Employers

Imams are employed by mosques, Islamic cultural and community centers, and colleges and universities. There are more than 2,765 mosques in the United States, as well as Muslim schools and Islamic centers. The largest number of mosques are found in New York, California, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Ohio. Some imams work as college professors, teachers at Islamic schools, and chaplains in hospitals, hospices, and the military.

Starting Out

At a large mosque in the U.S., a new imam who has just completed his training might start out as an assistant imam. At a small mosque, a newly-trained imam might start out as the head imam because of the shortage of imams in America and the growing number of mosques that have unfilled imam positions.

In the United States, those seeking imam positions should contact mosques directly to inquire about job openings. Visit http://hirr.hartsem.edu/mosque/database.html for a database of mosques and Islamic centers in the United States. Job openings are also listed at the Web sites of professional organizations such as the Islamic Society of North America and through the career centers of training programs.

After several years of experience, an assistant imam can become a full-fledged imam. An older imam who wishes to scale back his duties might continue to serve in some religious capacity, but might also become a member of the mosque’s executive committee or board. Some imams become college professors.

Visit http://imamsonline.com/jobs-list for job listings.

Talk to imams about their careers. Ask them for advice on entering the profession.

Attend the Islamic Society of North America’s annual convention (http://www.isna.net) to grow your faith and network.