2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theological & Ministerial Studies (Income $0-$30k) in California

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Theological & Ministerial Studies is the 55th most popular major in the country with 15,051 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, theological and ministerial studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $36,911 and had an average of $41,597 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 1,174 theological and ministerial studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,914 and $41,541 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 122 theological and ministerial studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 4 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in theological and ministerial studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent theological and ministerial studies 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 theological and ministerial studies program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college 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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 4 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theological & Ministerial Studies (Income $0-$30k) in California

#1

Hope International University

Fullerton, California

#2 in overall quality

$15,847 Average Net Price

$40,485 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hope International University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Fullerton, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 17 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Hope has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,847 for California Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Hope.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Hope Theological & Ministerial Studies Report

#2

The Master's University and Seminary

Santa Clarita, California

#1 in overall quality

$22,889 Average Net Price

$23,803 Average Early-Career Earnings

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, The Master’s University and Seminary landed the #2 spot on the list. The Master’s University and Seminary is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Santa Clarita, California. It awarded 58 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $0-$30k list, The Master’s University has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $22,889 for California Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The Master’s University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at The Master’s University and Seminary

#3

William Jessup University

Rocklin, California

#4 in overall quality

$16,789 Average Net Price

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend William Jessup University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. William Jessup University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rocklin, California. It awarded 14 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.

William Jessup University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for William Jessup University is $16,789 for California Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full William Jessup University Theological & Ministerial Studies Report

#4

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, California

#3 in overall quality

$21,179 Average Net Price

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Azusa Pacific University landed the #4 spot on the list. Azusa Pacific University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Azusa, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Azusa Pacific not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $21,179 for California Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Azusa Pacific University.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Azusa Pacific

• Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theological & Ministerial Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Far Western US Region
• Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theological & Ministerial Studies (Income $0-$30k)

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).
• 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

Footnotes

• *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
• 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 Jonund.

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