Do Jedi Get Paid? (Use The Force)

Everyone loves and adores the Jedi in Star Wars. It’s probably because of their commitment to upholding peace and opening our minds to the light side of the force. However, fans have many questions about the Jedi: is Jedi a real job? Do Jedi get paid? Can they retire?

Key Points

• Jedi is like the monastic organization of the Catholic Church.
• The Jedi join the Order at a young age and have to live the rest of their lives guided by the Jedi Code. 
• The Jedi live in a Jedi Temple, and the republic senate funds their activities. They don’t earn money for being a Jedi, but they get republic credits which they use on their missions. 
• Jedi is not a cult meaning you can quit. However, you must follow a strict procedure to be allowed to quit. 
• As a Jedi, you are not explicitly prohibited from loving. However, attachments are discouraged as they compromise your adherence to the Code. 

Please keep reading this post to discover all the essential details about Jedi. For instance, you’ll find out about the Jedi job, their lifestyle, how they make money, and whether a Jedi can quit. Let’s dig in!

What is a Jedi job?

The Jedi are not the police of the Galactic Republic; neither do they claim to be an army of any kind. However, they usually work closely with the clone army in the clone wars. So, who exactly is a Jedi?

A Jedi, also known as a Lord Jedi in ancient times, are devotees to the Jedi Order. This was an ancient order of protectors brought together by their ability to harness the force’s power. They adhered to a belief system that favored the light side of the force. 

However, that philosophy did not stop them from protecting themselves. The Jedi weapon was a lightsaber, a sword with a blade having pure energy and different colors, including blue, yellow, green, and purple.  

They also live longer and maintain a youthful appearance for a long time. One notable characteristic is that they usually jump as high as six meters. Jedi who have shown this character include Mace Windu, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

Jedi Knight

Calmness and peace were the focus of the original Jedi Knight. This allowed them to channel their powers in the Force and use its light side to serve as the republic’s guardians of peace and justice. 

According to Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, becoming a Jedi was not easy, as the training is tough. Moreover, those who succeeded would still face a tough time ahead. To adhere to the Jedi way of life, one needed a disciplined mind and a strong sense of commitment. 

“In order to master the ways of the Force, Jedi must forgo all attachment.”

The Armorer.

The Jedi Code regulates the lives, actions, beliefs, and policies of the Jedi Knight. For instance, the code prohibited attachment and possession as it led to jealousy and greed, leading the Jedi to the dark side of the force.  

How Jedi make money for a living

How do Jedi cater to their basic needs? How do the republic funds help them cater to their needs?

The republic senate fully funds the activities of the Jedi. They also enjoy discounts on several services. For example, in The Phantom Menace, Qui Gon Jinn claims to have only 20000 Republic Dataries to pay Watto. This could indicate the standard amount a Jedi carries and would replenish when they return to the temple. 

The Jedi Order gave the Jedi credits when they needed them. For instance, disguised Obi-Wan required credits to buy a vehicle for a mission. Moreover, Obi-Wan also pays for a drink at a nightclub in Attack of the Clones. 

This implies the Jedi spend money in the form of republic credits. However, they don’t seem to have personal finances or material possessions. Instead, their expenses are for missions. Therefore, buying possessions with the republic credits would violate the Code. 

Therefore, while the Jedi don’t have a salary, the Order paid for their needs. As mentioned earlier, the Jedi Order receives government money. The Order also received funds from authorities, which they helped from time to time. 

Where do Jedi live?

Besides that, here are several facts about the Jedi way of life which explain where and how they live:

• The Jedi are a religious organization committed to living simple lives for the greater good. Therefore, they lived selflessly without the need to accumulate personal wealth. 
• Mostly, Jedi live at the enormous Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Each Jedi level has its quarters in the temple. The Jedi Temple has youngling nurseries, Padawan dormitories, a Master’s chambers, and Knight’s Billet. 
• But, Anakin doesn’t ‌live in the temple in The Revenge of the Sith. Instead, he spends most of his time with Padme in an apartment in Coruscant. The apartment is luxurious, meaning he makes a decent living to afford such luxuries. 

Can you quit being a Jedi?

Four factors will determine how a Jedi leaves the Order:

• Rank
• Position within the Order 
• Reasons for leaving 
• How susceptible the Jedi is to fall to the dark side. 

Younglings

For instance, Younglings and Padawans cannot simply leave the Order.

They are not allowed to quit their training. The younglings are hardly allowed to leave at will because they are young. Jedi believes the young ones are still susceptible to their emotions which could cloud their judgment. 

Therefore, they will remain in the Jedi Temple unless the Jedi Council agrees they are not meant to become Jedi. However, the Jedi Council hardly makes such conclusions unless the youngling has failed one of their trials. 

Padawans

Padawans are also bound to their masters and personally answer to them. As such, the master will not allow the Padawan to leave the Order if the reasons include lack of discipline or selfish reasons. Instead, he will do whatever it takes to put the Padawan in line. 

However, if the Padawan and the master discover Jedi is not the Padawan’s future, he will allow him to make his case to the Council. The Council will decide on whether the Padawan should leave or not. 

Knights and Masters

Jedi Knights and Masters are allowed to leave at will. However, not many are willing to throw their training and duty lightly. This is because they are usually treated as disgraces once they quit. 

Moreover, it is believed that many Masters and Jedi Knights who leave the Order are shrinking their duty to the Republic, betraying their friends, and are suspected of joining the dark side.   

There is no coming back!

That said, many Jedi don’t like leaving the force because there is no coming back. The Jedi Council takes seriously the decision of one leaving the Order. In this sense, once you quit, you’ll not be accepted back under whatever circumstances. 

Moreover, once you leave, the Jedi believe you’re against them and will treat you as such. Therefore, while you can leave the Jedi, it is not a straightforward affair!

You’ve made a commitment to the Jedi Order, a commitment not easily broken.

 Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

What happens if a Jedi fails?

In the Expanded Universe, the Jedi who failed the Jedi Trials were sent into the Jedi Service Corps through the Council of Reassignment.

The Service Corps was established during the Old Republic era and were divided into four branches, including: 

• Explorational Corps
• Medical Corps
• Agricultural Corps
• Educational Corps

Joining the Corps was an honorable alternative to leaving the Jedi order. Moreover, it was rumored that joining the Corps prevented the Jedi from shifting to the dark side. So, while Jedi who failed were free to leave, they were encouraged to join the Service Corps. 

Is it forbidden for a Jedi to love?

Jedi needed to forgo attachments to progress in mastering the powers of the Force. Moreover, attachments would be almost impossible because their training took a long time. 

Despite the significance of the non-attachment of the Jedi vow, there was no consensus on what it meant. For example, some Jedi took it to mean they had to suppress their emotions like vanquishing love. 

On the other hand, others believed that trying to master emotions went against the beliefs of the Order. But, the truth is, Jedi understood feelings like love to be natural and were allowed to have such feelings. 

They also accepted that death was a part of the natural course of living and that they should celebrate the dead instead of mourning them. In this sense, detachment was the most challenging lesson the Jedi had to learn. 

A Jedi needed to let go several times. Grand Master Yoda carried this belief to his deathbed after living none centuries. He even accepted his death as a way of life. 

Do Jedi eat meat?

This question misinterprets the beliefs of the Jedi in Star Wars.

Yoda and Obi-Wan were clear that the force was established by living things. As a result, it would be antithetical to Jedi’s beliefs to kill a living thing for selfish metabolical requirements. 

The Jedi did not practice vegetarianism. They were also not omnivorous or carnivorous; their food comprised rocks, sand, mud, and other inorganic matter. It’s no wonder Anakin didn’t love sand!

Jedi Order does not prohibit it

Be that as it may, people in the Star Wars Universe are free to eat whatever they wish. This includes the Jedi, who were not prohibited from eating a particular type of meal. Moreover, the Code does not state that Jedi are not supposed to eat meat. In this regard, the popular meals for the Jedi include deep-fried Nuna legs, roasted porg, and colo claw fish. 

Final thoughts

Being a Jedi is an honorable thing. Joining the Jedi is not like joining a religious cult that plays mind tricks on its members. Once you become a Jedi Knight, you must live by the Code for as long as you live. 

However, should you feel like you want to quit, you’re allowed to do so, however, subject to meeting certain conditions. The senate republic funds and funds from other authorities will take care of your expenses when you are on missions. 

You can’t win, Darth.

If you strike me down I will become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.

Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi

Therefore, while you will not get paid for being a Jedi, your needs, such as food and missions, are catered for.

Enough to become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.