2023 Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region
13
Ranked Colleges
339
Degrees Awarded
$47,206
Avg Salary
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, veterans have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Theology & Religious Vocations is the 26th most popular major in the country with 27,459 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, theology and religious vocations graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $36,020 and had an average of $26,322 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 4,636 theology and religious vocations graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,355 and $22,551 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate” ranking looked at 13 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in theology and religious vocations. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great theology and religious vocations programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the theology and religious vocations program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate”.
Top 13 Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Notre Dame. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate list. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s theology and religious vocations students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region doctor’s degree vets studying theology & religious vocations list, Notre Dame has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 11 of the 12,809 students enrolled at Notre Dame were GI Bill® students, of which 20 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,670. During this same period, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Notre Dame Veteran Student Life Report
Out of the 13 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 16 doctorate’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2020-2021.
UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list.Of the 17,834 students enrolled at University of Chicago, 241 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 113 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $18,948. On top of their other funding sources, 58 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Chicago]](/colleges/university-of-chicago/student-life/veterans/)
Out of the 13 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, Grace College and Theological Seminary landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Winona Lake, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 18 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s theology and religious vocations students in 2020-2021.
Grace College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list.Our most recent data shows that 27 of the 1,901 students enrolled at Grace College and Theological Seminary were GI Bill® students, of which 20 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,455. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Grace College and Theological Seminary offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Out of the 13 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, Ashland University landed the #4 spot on the list. Ashland, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s theology and religious vocations degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.
Ashland did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list.Of the 4,447 students enrolled at Ashland, 105 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 88 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,554. To help with additional expenses, 4 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Ashland University]](/colleges/ashland-university/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Andrews University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate list. Located in Berrien Springs, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 32 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s theology and religious vocations students in 2020-2021.
Andrews not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list.According to our most recent data, Andrews supports 3,162 students, and 40 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 24 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $16,888. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Andrews University]](/colleges/andrews-university/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #6, Trinity International University - Illinois did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate list. Trinity International University - Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Deerfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 36 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.
TIU Illinois also made our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10.According to our most recent data, Trinity International University - Illinois supports 1,454 students, and 14 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 9 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,061. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Trinity International University - Illinois does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full TIU Illinois Veteran Student Life Report
Concordia Theological Seminary landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate ranking. Concordia Theological Seminary is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It awarded 10 doctorate’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region doctor’s degree vets studying theology & religious vocations list, Concordia Theological Seminary has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 11 of the 295 students enrolled at Concordia Theological Seminary were GI Bill® students, of which 7 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,992. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Concordia Theological Seminary]](/colleges/concordia-theological-seminary/student-life/veterans/)
Wheaton College Illinois came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small school located in Wheaton, Illinois that handed out 4 doctorate’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region doctor’s degree vets studying theology & religious vocations list, Wheaton College Illinois has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Of the 2,908 students enrolled at Wheaton College Illinois, 56 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 45 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $20,675. During this same period, 29 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Wheaton College Illinois]](/colleges/wheaton-college-illinois/student-life/veterans/)
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #9. Northern Baptist Theological Seminary is located in Lisle, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 doctorate’s theology and religious vocations degrees to qualified students.
Northern Seminary also made our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12.According to our most recent data, Northern Seminary supports 285 students, and 5 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 4 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,647. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Northern Baptist Theological Seminary Veteran Student Life Report
Lincoln Christian University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate ranking. Lincoln, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s theology and religious vocations degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lincoln Christian College and Seminary, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Lincoln Christian University supports 581 students, and 13 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 6 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,761. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Lincoln Christian University Veteran Student Life Report
McCormick Theological Seminary landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate ranking. McCormick Theological Seminary is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.
McCormick Theological Seminary did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list.Of the 221 students enrolled at McCormick Theological Seminary, 2 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read More…
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate ranking. LSTC is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 4 doctorate’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at LSTC, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 3 of the 145 students enrolled at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago were GI Bill® students, of which 2 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,390. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read More…
Payne Theological Seminary ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Theology & Religious Vocations for a Doctorate list. This small school is located in Wilberforce, Ohio, and it awarded 18 doctorate’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2020-2021.
Payne Theological Seminary also took the #15 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Of the 177 students enrolled at Payne Theological Seminary, 5 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,784. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read More…
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Daderot.
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