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2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

72 Ranked Colleges
2,506 Degrees Awarded
$14,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that 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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,506 theological and ministerial studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 72 colleges that offer a degree in theological and ministerial studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great theological and ministerial studies programs and 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.

More Ways to Rank Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theological & Ministerial Studies (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Boston College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Boston College is located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s theology degrees to qualified students.

Boston College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Boston College is $8,951 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Boston College

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s theology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k list, UChicago has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $2,800 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UChicago.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The 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.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at University of Chicago

#3

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Notre Dame. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Notre Dame, Indiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theology degrees to 48 students in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $15,609 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Notre Dame.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at University of Notre Dame

#4

Criswell College

Dallas, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Criswell College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Criswell College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dallas, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,767 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Criswell College.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Criswell College

#5

The Baptist College of Florida

Graceville, Florida

Out of the 72 schools in the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, The Baptist College of Florida landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Graceville, Florida, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend BCF is $9,170 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The 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.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at The Baptist College of Florida

#6

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, Tennessee
#7 in overall quality

Trevecca Nazarene University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.

TNU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Trevecca Nazarene University is $15,172 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at TNU

#7

Point University

West Point, Georgia

Point University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Point is a private not-for-profit institution located in West Point, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Point University is $15,143 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at Point University

#8

Northwest University

Kirkland, Washington

Northwest University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Kirkland, Washington, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Northwest University has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwest University is $15,049 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Northwest University

#9

Saint Johns University

Collegeville, Minnesota
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Saint Johns University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Collegeville, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theology degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

SJU also took the #8 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $15,628 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Saint Johns University.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at SJU

#15 in overall quality

Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. MBTS is a private not-for-profit institution located in Kansas City, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

MBTS also took the #15 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $19,911 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend MBTS.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at MBTS

#11

Johnson University

Knoxville, Tennessee

Johnson University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Johnson University is a small school located in Knoxville, Tennessee that handed out 36 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Johnson University, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Johnson University is $16,404 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive 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.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at Johnson University

#12

University of Mary

Bismarck, North Dakota

University of Mary came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Mary is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bismarck, North Dakota. It awarded 18 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.

UMary also made our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for University of Mary is $13,446 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at University of Mary

#13

Bob Jones University

Greenville, South Carolina

With a ranking of #13, Bob Jones University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Bob Jones University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Greenville, South Carolina. It awarded 21 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,902 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Bob Jones University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at Bob Jones University

#14

Moody Bible Institute

Chicago, Illinois

Moody Bible Institute came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Moody Bible Institute is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 137 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $16,582 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School.

Full Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School Theological & Ministerial Studies Report

#15

Clarks Summit University

South Abington Township, Pennsylvania

Clarks Summit University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. This small school is located in South Abington Township, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CSU is $13,778 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at CSU

#16

Harding University

Searcy, Arkansas
#10 in overall quality

Harding University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Harding is located in Searcy, Arkansas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s theology degrees to qualified students.

Harding not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Harding University is $15,735 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.

Full Harding Theological & Ministerial Studies Report

#17

University of Dallas

Irving, Texas

University of Dallas did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. University of Dallas is located in Irving, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 32 bachelors’s theology degrees to qualified students.

UD did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UD is $15,640 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.

Full UD Theological & Ministerial Studies Report

#18

Ozark Christian College

Joplin, Missouri

With a ranking of #18, Ozark Christian College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Joplin, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theology students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Ozark Christian College is $13,579 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Ozark Christian College

Central Christian College of the Bible ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Moberly, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theology students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Central Christian College of the Bible is $12,345 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Central Christian College of the Bible Theological & Ministerial Studies Report

#20

Andrews University

Berrien Springs, Michigan
#12 in overall quality

Andrews University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Andrews is located in Berrien Springs, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s theology degrees to qualified students.

Andrews also made our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $20,330 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Andrews.

The impressive 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at Andrews

#21

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. Olivet Nazarene is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Olivet Nazarene is $15,390 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Olivet Nazarene University

With a ranking of #22, Franciscan University of Steubenville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Steubenville, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theology degrees to 91 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Franciscan U, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $19,812 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Franciscan University of Steubenville.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Franciscan U Theological & Ministerial Studies Report

#23

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SLU, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Saint Louis University is $21,082 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Saint Louis University

#24

Oral Roberts University

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Oral Roberts University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. ORU is a small school located in Tulsa, Oklahoma that handed out 59 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Oral Roberts University is $20,104 for bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Oral Roberts University

#25

Ave Maria University

Ave Maria, Florida

Ave Maria University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. AMU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Ave Maria, Florida. It awarded 17 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for AMU is $12,832 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Ave Maria University

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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).
  • 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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