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2025 Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools

28 Colleges in the United States
3,465 Pastoral Counseling Degrees Awarded
$38,263 Avg Early-Career Salary
When it comes to popularity, pastoral counseling & specialized ministries sits in the middle of the road, ranking #171 out of 395 majors in the country. So, you may have to do some digging around to find quality schools that offer the degree program. This list can help with that.

College Factual reviewed 28 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of pastoral counseling & specialized ministries. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 3,465 degrees in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries annually.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries School

Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools The pastoral counseling program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries rankings. For our Best Overall Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Pastoral Counseling
Bachelor's Degrees in Pastoral Counseling
Master's Degrees in Pastoral Counseling
Doctor's Degrees in Pastoral Counseling

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries in the United States

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the pastoral counseling degree levels they offer.

10 Top Schools in Pastoral Counseling

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
99 Pastoral Counseling Degrees Awarded
25.3% Growth in Graduates

The Master's University and Seminary is a great option for students interested in a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries. The Master's University is a small private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Santa Clarita. A Best Colleges rank of #383 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means The Master's University is a great university overall.

There were roughly 99 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at The Master's University in the most recent year we have data available. Those pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who get their degree from The Master's University and Seminary make $8,278 more than the average pastoral counseling graduate.

More information about a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries from The Master’s University and Seminary

2
Lee University crest
Lee University
Cleveland, TN
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
74 Pastoral Counseling Degrees Awarded
$35,189 Median Starting Salary

Every student who is interested in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries has to look into Lee University. Located in the city of Cleveland, Lee University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. This university ranks 17th out of 41 schools for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.

There were about 74 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at Lee University in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the pastoral counseling program state that they receive average early career income of $35,189.

More information about a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries from Lee University

3
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In MO
89 Pastoral Counseling Degrees Awarded

Ozark Christian College is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries. Located in the city of Joplin, Ozark Christian College is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

There were about 89 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at Ozark Christian College in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries from Ozark Christian College

4
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
40 Pastoral Counseling Degrees Awarded
7.5% Growth in Graduates

Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global is a wonderful option for students interested in a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries. Located in the rural area of Marion, IWU is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #224 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means IWU is a great university overall.

There were roughly 40 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at IWU in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the pastoral counseling program earn about $35,881 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries from Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global

5
North Central University crest
North Central University
Minneapolis, MN
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
38 Pastoral Counseling Degrees Awarded
34.2% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Minneapolis, North Central University is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly small student population. This university ranks 953rd out of 2,152 schools for overall quality nationwide.

There were roughly 38 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at North Central University in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, pastoral counseling degree recipients usually make around $27,370 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries from North Central University

6
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
73 Pastoral Counseling Degrees Awarded
26.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the distant town of Marion, IWU is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #555 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means IWU is a great university overall.

There were roughly 73 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at IWU in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, pastoral counseling degree recipients typically make around $29,318 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries from Indiana Wesleyan University

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
67 Pastoral Counseling Degrees Awarded
$35,426 Median Starting Salary

Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Chicago.

There were approximately 67 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the pastoral counseling program report average early career income of $35,426.

More information about a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries from Moody Bible Institute

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
7th Most Popular In MO
22.2% Growth in Graduates

MBTS is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Kansas City.

There were roughly 18 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at MBTS in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

9
Crown crest
Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, MN
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
$26,538 Median Starting Salary

Crown is a small private not-for-profit college located in the rural area of Saint Bonifacius. This college ranks 50th out of 52 schools for overall quality in the state of Minnesota.

There were roughly 13 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at Crown in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the pastoral counseling program earn around $26,538 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries from Crown College

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In MN
65.0% Growth in Graduates

Northwestern is a small private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Saint Paul. A Best Colleges rank of #441 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.

There were approximately 20 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries from University of Northwestern - St Paul

Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries by Region

View the Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

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One of 7 majors within the Theology & Religious Vocations area of study, Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries has other similar majors worth exploring.

Pastoral Counseling Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Pastoral Studies/Counseling 1,380
Other Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries 831
Lay Ministry 677
Youth Ministry 426
Urban Ministry 71
Women’s Ministry 63
Chaplain/Chaplaincy Studies 17

View All Pastoral Counseling Concentrations >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Theological & Ministerial Studies 15,527
Biblical Studies 4,021
Religious Education 1,292
Missionary Studies 1,282
Theology & Religious Vocations (Other) 1,192
Sacred Music 487
Religious Institution Administration and Law 45

View All Pastoral Counseling Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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