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2025 Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in California

3 Colleges in California
233 Pastoral Counseling Degrees Awarded
$38,263 Avg Early-Career Salary
Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries is about average in terms of popularity for degree programs. That is, it ranks #171 out of the 395 majors across the country that we analyze each year. So, it might take a little more work to find colleges and universities that offer the degree program.

College Factual looked at 3 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in California ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 233 degrees in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries School

Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in California Your choice of pastoral counseling & specialized ministries school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. We derive our Best Overall Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Pick Your Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Degree Level

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

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in California ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.

Best Schools for Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries in California

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the pastoral counseling degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top California 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 one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries. Located in the large suburb of Santa Clarita, The Master's University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #383 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means The Master's University is a great university overall.

There were approximately 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. Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries degree recipients from The Master's University and Seminary earn a boost of approximately $8,278 above the typical earnings of pastoral counseling & specialized ministries majors.

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

2
Biola crest
Biola University
La Mirada, CA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
9th Most Popular In CA

It is hard to beat Biola University if you want to pursue a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries. Biola is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of La Mirada. This university ranks 86th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 5 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at Biola in the most recent data year.

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

3
LIFE Bible College crest
Life Pacific College
San Dimas, CA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
33 Pastoral Counseling Degrees Awarded
15.2% Growth in Graduates

Life Pacific College is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries. Located in the suburb of San Dimas, LIFE Bible College is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. This college ranks 118th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 33 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at LIFE Bible College in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the pastoral counseling program state that they receive average early career earnings of $37,436.

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

Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Washington 300 21
Oregon 266 62
Hawaii 164 9

View All Rankings >

Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries is one of 7 different types of Theology & Religious Vocations programs to choose from.

Pastoral Counseling Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Pastoral Studies/Counseling 129
Other Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries 44
Lay Ministry 33
Youth Ministry 12
Women’s Ministry 10
Chaplain/Chaplaincy Studies 5

View All Pastoral Counseling Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Theological & Ministerial Studies 1,107
Biblical Studies 241
Theology & Religious Vocations (Other) 106
Missionary Studies 78
Religious Education 56
Sacred Music 34

View All Pastoral Counseling Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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