The term you are looking for when a person who has alot of respect, such as honor and prestige excluding money is "social status". Preachers and teachers can fit into this category. "Social class" is based on "wealth, the power one receives with that wealth and the life chances that one has to accumulate wealth. Socio-economic status is a concept to assess status, depending on a person's income, education, and occupation (Understanding Sociology)."
We also have other terms, white collar worker and blue collar worker come to mind.
I'd say there is a system in place for recognizing rank and status.
I studied sociology before the Marxists took over the universities. I had a colleague once who shared this joke. He said, I think it is interesting that your department chair is a sociologist. Sociology is the elaboration of the obvious. That particular sociologist didn't know how to figure a percentage, by the way. There are different schools of thought in sociology and the discipline commands little respect.