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Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies

Types of Degrees Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	43
Associate’s Degree	5
Bachelor’s Degree	117
Master’s Degree	27

What Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies Majors Need to Know

Studies in Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Philosophy and Theology — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 6.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• History and Archeology — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Sociology and Anthropology — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Training and Teaching Others	4.7 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People	3.8 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Calendar and scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Philosopher’s Information Center The Philosopher’s Index	Data base user interface and query software	—
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	✓
Gateway to Logic	Analytical or scientific software	—
Collaborative editing software	Word processing software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies graduates include:

• University Faculty Member
• Ethics Professor
• Humanities Professor
• College Professor
• Professor
• Online Philosophy Instructor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Religion Instructor
• College Faculty Member
• Philosophy Lecturer
• Religious Studies Teacher
• Associate Professor
• Church History Teacher
• Pastoral Ministries Professor
• Philosophy Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	71.5%
Master’s degree	14.2%
Post-doctoral training	12.1%
Bachelor’s degree	0.6%
Post-master’s certificate	0.6%
Some college courses	0.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.4%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 79.2% of Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	40	20.8%
Men	152	79.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	115	59.9%
Asian	8	4.2%
Hispanic or Latino	44	22.9%
Black or African American	3	1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.5%
Two or More Races	4	2.1%
Race Unknown	2	1.0%
International Students	15	7.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$48,647
4 years	$53,283
5 years	$59,877

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $59,877 — roughly 23% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	4	1
Bachelor’s	1	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies graduates earn a median of $53,283 four years after completion — roughly 40% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Theological and Ministerial Studies	39.06
Divinity/Ministry	39.0602
Rabbinical Studies	39.0605
Talmudic Studies	39.0606
Theological and Ministerial Studies, Other	39.0699
Theology/Theological Studies	39.0601
Chaplain/Chaplaincy Studies	39.0706
Pastoral Studies/Counseling	39.0701
Bible/Biblical Studies	39.0201

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.