Missionary Studies

Types of Degrees Missionary Studies Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many missionary studies graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	455
Master’s Degree	294
Undergraduate Certificate	289
Doctor’s Degree	104
Associate Degree	32
Graduate Certificate	25
Basic Certificate	21

What Missionary Studies Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, missionary studies majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Missionary Studies Majors

Missionary Studies majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Philosophy and Theology - Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Skills for Missionary Studies Majors

missionary studies majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.

Abilities for Missionary Studies Majors

As you progress with your missionary studies degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Missionary Studies Major?

People with a missionary studies degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Directors, Religious Activities and Education	7.1%	$40,810
Philosophy and Religion Professors	12.3%	$71,890

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Missionary Studies?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 455 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in missionary studies in 2021, making it rank #211 in popularity. This major is dominated by women with about 66% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of missionary studies majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	9
Black or African American	12
Hispanic or Latino	16
White	350
International Students	13
Other Races/Ethnicities	55

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Missionary Studies. About 2.9% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• South Korea
• Canada
• India
• China
• Germany

How Much Do Missionary Studies Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that missionary studies students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a bachelor’s degree made a median starting salary of $22,852 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $21,299 (25th percentile) and $23,928 (75th percentile).

One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to missionary studies.

Salaries According to BLS

Missionary Studies majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $46,980 to $82,420 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Missionary Studies

Some degrees associated with missionary studies may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to missionary studies have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	3.1%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	0.2%
Bachelor’s Degree	42.1%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	0.3%
Master’s Degree	11.5%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.3%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.2%
Doctoral Degree	35.6%
Post-Doctoral Training	6.0%

Online Missionary Studies Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 135 schools offered some type of missionary studies program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	9	2
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	0
Associate’s Degree	27	5
Bachelor’s Degree	14	2
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	45	14
Post-Master’s	2	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	9	1
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	4	0

Is a Degree in Missionary Studies Worth It?

The median salary for a missionary studies grad is $46,980 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 18% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $141,600 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Missionary Studies

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to missionary studies.

Major	Number of Grads
Theological & Ministerial Studies	15,832
Biblical Studies	4,119
Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries	3,116
Religious Education	1,417
Theology & Religious Vocations (Other)	1,166
Sacred Music	554
Religious Institution Administration and Law	35

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.