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2023 Best Value Colleges for Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

15 Ranked Colleges
806 Degrees Awarded
$18,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 3,116 people earned their degree in pastoral counseling and specialized ministries, making the major the 171st most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, pastoral counseling and specialized ministries graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,592 and had an average of $26,577 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southeast region, there were 806 pastoral counseling and specialized ministries graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,307 and $26,969 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 15 colleges that offer a degree in pastoral counseling and specialized ministries. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent pastoral counseling and specialized ministries programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the pastoral counseling and specialized ministries program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region pastoral counseling students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 15 Best Value Colleges for Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

1
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Emory University landed the #1 spot on the list. Emory is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 3 ’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Emory, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $8,538 for southeast region pastoral counseling students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Emory.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Emory University

2
Lee University crest
Lee University
Cleveland, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lee University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lee University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Tennessee. It awarded 84 ’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region pastoral counseling students whose families make $0-$30k list, Lee University has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lee University is $15,111 for Southeast Region Pastoral Counseling students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Lee University

3
Johnson University crest
Johnson University
Knoxville, Tennessee

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Johnson University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Johnson University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Knoxville, Tennessee. It awarded 11 ’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

Johnson University also took the #3 spot in our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Johnson University is $12,827 for southeast region pastoral counseling students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Johnson University

4
Harding crest
Harding University
Searcy, Arkansas

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harding University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Searcy, Arkansas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified ’s pastoral counseling students in 2020-2021.

Harding did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Harding is $15,856 for Southeast Region Pastoral Counseling students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Harding Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

5
CIU crest
Columbia International University
Columbia, South Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia International University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Columbia, South Carolina, and it awarded 14 ’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region pastoral counseling students whose families make $0-$30k list, CIU has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CIU is $15,997 for Southeast Region Pastoral Counseling students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at CIU

6
Regent crest
Regent University
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Regent University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Virginia Beach, Virginia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s pastoral counseling degrees to 46 students in 2020-2021.

Regent also made our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for Regent University is $20,479 for southeast region pastoral counseling students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Regent University

7
Lipscomb crest
Lipscomb University
Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #7, Lipscomb University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lipscomb University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region pastoral counseling students whose families make $0-$30k list, Lipscomb has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lipscomb University is $21,459 for Southeast Region Pastoral Counseling students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Lipscomb University Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

8
Lenoir - Rhyne University crest
Lenoir - Rhyne University
Hickory, North Carolina

Lenoir - Rhyne University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Hickory, North Carolina, and it awarded 3 ’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lenoir - Rhyne University, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $16,337 for southeast region pastoral counseling students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lenoir - Rhyne University.

Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Lenoir - Rhyne University

9
JUFL crest
Johnson University Florida
Kissimmee, Florida

Johnson University Florida ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Johnson University Florida is a private not-for-profit institution located in Kissimmee, Florida. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

JUFL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Johnson University Florida is $18,107 for Southeast Region Pastoral Counseling students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full JUFL Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

10
SEU crest
Southeastern University
Lakeland, Florida

Southeastern University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Southeastern University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lakeland, Florida. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 22 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

SEU also took the #5 spot in our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SEU is $25,798 for Southeast Region Pastoral Counseling students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Southeastern University Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

11
TMU crest
Truett McConnell University
Cleveland, Georgia

Truett McConnell University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Cleveland, Georgia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified ’s pastoral counseling students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region pastoral counseling students whose families make $0-$30k list, TMU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for TMU is $16,450 for Southeast Region Pastoral Counseling students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at TMU

12
Samford crest
Samford University
Birmingham, Alabama

Samford University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Birmingham, Alabama, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified ’s pastoral counseling students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region pastoral counseling students whose families make $0-$30k list, Samford has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $22,241 for southeast region pastoral counseling students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Samford.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Samford University Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

13
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia

Liberty University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Liberty University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Lynchburg, Virginia. It awarded 119 ’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

Liberty University also made our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Liberty University is $29,786 for Southeast Region Pastoral Counseling students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Liberty University

14
North Greenville crest
North Greenville University
Tigerville, South Carolina

With a ranking of #14, North Greenville University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. North Greenville is a small school located in Tigerville, South Carolina that handed out 1 ’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at North Greenville, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $17,739 for southeast region pastoral counseling students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend North Greenville.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at North Greenville University

15
Mid-Atlantic Christian University crest
Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Mid-Atlantic Christian University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Pastoral Counseling Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Mid-Atlantic Christian University is a small school located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina that handed out 5 ’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

Mid-Atlantic Christian University also made our “Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $20,480 for Southeast Region Pastoral Counseling students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Mid-Atlantic Christian University.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Mid-Atlantic Christian University

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References

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