2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate
18
Ranked Colleges
755
Degrees Awarded
$57,145
Avg Salary
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, veterans have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Theological & Ministerial Studies is the 63rd most popular major in the country with 15,832 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, theological and ministerial studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $40,590 and had an average of $26,272 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Southeast region, there were 5,813 theological and ministerial studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,235 and $26,413 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate” ranking analyzed 18 colleges that offered a degree in theological and ministerial studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality theological and ministerial studies programs as well as strong veteran support.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the theological and ministerial studies program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools
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 “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate” list to help you make the college 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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate
The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region doctor’s degree vets studying theology.
Top 18 Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Southeast Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Regent University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate list. Located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 118 degrees to qualified doctorate’s theology students in 2020-2021.
Regent also took the #8 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.Of the 10,483 students enrolled at Regent University, 1,414 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,139 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,203. In addition to receiving other benefits, 42 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Regent Veteran Student Life Report
Out of the 18 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, Liberty University landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Lynchburg, Virginia, and it awarded 153 doctorate’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
Liberty University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list.Our most recent data shows that 13,282 of the 93,349 students enrolled at Liberty University were GI Bill® students, of which 8,897 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,888. During this same period, 386 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Liberty University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
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Out of the 18 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, Harding University landed the #3 spot on the list. Harding University is a small school located in Searcy, Arkansas that handed out 3 doctorate’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
Harding also made our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #9.Of the 4,617 students enrolled at Harding University, 3 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 2 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,932. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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%.
Full Harding Veteran Student Life Report
Out of the 18 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #4 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Durham, North Carolina, and it awarded 31 doctorate’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southeast region doctor’s degree vets studying theology list, Duke has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.Of the 16,172 students enrolled at Duke, 36 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $18,387. During this same period, 8 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia International University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate list. Located in Columbia, South Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 7 degrees to qualified doctorate’s theology students in 2020-2021.
CIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list.Among the 2,098 students enrolled at CIU, 86 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 50 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,392. To help with additional expenses, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
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 More…
Lipscomb University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate list. Lipscomb University is a small school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 3 doctorate’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southeast region doctor’s degree vets studying theology list, Lipscomb has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.Among the 4,884 students enrolled at Lipscomb University, 235 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 184 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $15,878. On top of their other funding sources, 72 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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 Lipscomb University]](/colleges/lipscomb-university/student-life/veterans/)
Mercer University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Macon, Georgia, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 3 degrees to qualified doctorate’s theology students in 2020-2021.
Mercer also took the #12 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Mercer University supports 9,006 students, and 15 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 11 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,244. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Mercer]](/colleges/mercer-university/student-life/veterans/)
Erskine College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate ranking. Erskine College is located in Due West, South Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 doctorate’s theology degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our southeast region doctor’s degree vets studying theology list, Erskine has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.Among the 943 students enrolled at Erskine College, 1 are 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. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Full Erskine Veteran Student Life Report
Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #9. Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a small school located in Louisville, Kentucky that handed out 8 doctorate’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southeast region doctor’s degree vets studying theology list, Louisville Seminary has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Louisville Seminary supports 151 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,642. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through 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 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 More…
With a ranking of #10, Southeastern University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate list. Located in Lakeland, Florida, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s theology students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SEU, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.Of the 9,546 students enrolled at SEU, 7 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,265. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Southeastern University]](/colleges/southeastern-university/student-life/veterans/)
Luther Rice College & Seminary ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate list. Located in Lithonia, Georgia, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 8 degrees to qualified doctorate’s theology students in 2020-2021.
Luther Rice not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list.According to our most recent data, Luther Rice supports 693 students, and 53 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 32 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,146. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Luther Rice does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Luther Rice]](/colleges/luther-rice-university-and-seminary/student-life/veterans/)
Asbury Theological Seminary ranked #12 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate list. Wilmore, Kentucky is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s theology degrees to 42 students in 2020-2021.
Asbury Seminary not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list.According to our most recent data, Asbury Theological Seminary supports 1,755 students, and 10 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 8 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,996. On top of their other funding sources, 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. 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 Asbury Theological Seminary Veteran Student Life Report
Emory University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #13. This fairly large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 30 doctorate’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
Emory also took the #2 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Emory supports 13,997 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The undergraduate 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 impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
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Virginia Union University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #14. Richmond, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s theology degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.
VUU also took the #16 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.Among the 1,516 students enrolled at VUU, 22 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 13 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,473. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Read More…
Columbia Theological Seminary landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate ranking. Located in Decatur, Georgia, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 14 degrees to qualified doctorate’s theology students in 2020-2021.
Columbia Theological Seminary also took the #14 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Columbia Theological Seminary supports 201 students, and 4 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 3 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,657. 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…
With a ranking of #16, Sewanee - The University of the South did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate list. Located in Sewanee, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s theology students in 2020-2021.
Sewanee also made our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #4.According to our most recent data, Sewanee supports 1,800 students, and 22 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 14 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $20,591. In addition to receiving other benefits, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 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.
Full Sewanee Veteran Student Life Report
Hood Theological Seminary did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #17. Hood Theological Seminary is a private not-for-profit institution located in Salisbury, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Hood Theological Seminary, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Hood Theological Seminary supports 142 students, and 5 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 3 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,982. In addition to receiving other benefits, 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.
Read More…
Memphis Theological Seminary came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Theology for a Doctorate ranking. This small school is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and it awarded 19 doctorate’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
Memphis Theological Seminary did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list.Of the 183 students enrolled at Memphis Theological Seminary, 2 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,940. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through 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…
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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
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