2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theological & Ministerial Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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 the Great Lakes region, there were 2,268 theological and ministerial studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,132 and $45,038 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 532 theological and ministerial studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 16 colleges that offered a degree in theological and ministerial studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality theological and ministerial studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the theological and ministerial studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our 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 the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k.
Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theological & Ministerial Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 4 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.
UChicago also made our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $7,934 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $48-$75k.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at University of Chicago
Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Notre Dame landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Notre Dame, Indiana, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.
Notre Dame did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Notre Dame is $17,768 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $48-$75k.
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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.
Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at Notre Dame
Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Moody Bible Institute landed the #3 spot on the list. Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 137 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.
Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School also took the #3 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School is $16,501 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School
Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Kuyper College landed the #4 spot on the list. Kuyper College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Kuyper, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Kuyper is $20,432 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $48-$75k.
The impressive 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Olivet Nazarene University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Bourbonnais, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theology degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.
Olivet Nazarene not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Olivet Nazarene University is $17,841 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $48-$75k.
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 more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at Olivet Nazarene
Franciscan University of Steubenville ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Franciscan University of Steubenville is a small school located in Steubenville, Ohio that handed out 91 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.
Franciscan U also took the #5 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Franciscan U is $20,810 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $48-$75k.
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.
Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Franciscan U
Indiana Wesleyan University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Indiana Wesleyan University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Marion, Indiana. It awarded 8 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.
IWU also made our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana Wesleyan University is $18,465 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at IWU
Andrews University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. Andrews is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Berrien Springs, Michigan. It awarded 13 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.
Andrews also made our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for Andrews University is $20,399 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $48-$75k.
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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at Andrews University
Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Marion, 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 11 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $48-$75k list, IWU has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend IWU is $23,367 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at IWU
Malone University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Malone University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Canton, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Malone, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,920 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Malone University.
Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Malone
Cornerstone University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. Grand Rapids, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theology degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.
Cornerstone also made our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Cornerstone is $19,973 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Cornerstone
Ohio Christian University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Circleville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 52 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theology students in 2019-2020.
OCU also made our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $21,594 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend OCU.
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.
Anderson University Indiana came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Anderson University Indiana is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Anderson, Indiana. It awarded 3 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $48-$75k list, Anderson University Indiana has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $21,297 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Anderson University Indiana.
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 full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Anderson University Indiana
Concordia University, Wisconsin came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Concordia University, Wisconsin is a medium-sized school located in Mequon, Wisconsin that handed out 10 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.
Concordia University, Wisconsin also made our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Wisconsin is $21,624 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology students whose families make $48-$75k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Concordia University, Wisconsin Theological & Ministerial Studies Report
Loyola University Chicago ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Loyola University Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Loyola Chicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $32,259 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Loyola Chicago.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at Loyola Chicago
Concordia University, Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. Concordia University, Ann Arbor is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 2 bachelors’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.
Concordia University, Ann Arbor did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Ann Arbor is $23,463 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%. 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.
Full Concordia University, Ann Arbor Theological & Ministerial Studies Report
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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.
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- Credit for the banner image above goes to Jonund.
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