2023 Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools
Finding the Best Theological & Ministerial Studies School for You
In 2020-2021, 15,832 people earned a degree or certificate in theological and ministerial studies, making the major the #62 most popular in the United States.
Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools ranking. This report analyzed 144 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools in the United States
The colleges and universities below are the best for theology majors pursuing a .
Top 15% Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Wartburg Theological Seminary the best school in the United States for theological and ministerial studies students. Wartburg Seminary is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Dubuque.
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion is a great place for theological and ministerial studies students. Located in the city of New York, HUC - JIR is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Concordia Seminary. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools list. Concordia Seminary is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Louis.
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The excellent programs at Concordia Theological Seminary helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best theological and ministerial studies schools in the United States. Concordia Theological Seminary is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Fort Wayne.
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The excellent programs at Luther Seminary helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best theological and ministerial studies schools in the United States. Luther Seminary is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Paul.
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With a ranking of #6, Southeastern University did quite well on this year’s best schools for theological and ministerial studies students. SEU is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lakeland.
Theology majors at SEU take out an average of $18,563 in student loans while working on their egree.
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Ohio Christian University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools list. Located in the distant town of Circleville, OCU is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
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Saint Paul School of Theology came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools ranking. Saint Paul School of Theology is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Leawood.
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Olivet Nazarene University landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best theological and ministerial studies programs. Olivet Nazarene is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Bourbonnais.
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Meadville Lombard Theological School came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools ranking. Meadville Lombard Theological School is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Chicago.
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Grand Canyon University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools list. Located in the large city of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University is a private for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
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Concordia University, Wisconsin came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools ranking. Concordia University, Wisconsin is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Mequon.
After completing their degree, theology graduates from Concordia University, Wisconsin carry an average student debtload of $25,000.
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Moody Bible Institute ranked #13 on this year’s Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools list. Located in the city of Chicago, Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
While working on their degree, theology majors at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School accumulate an average of around $9,750 in student debt.
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University of Notre Dame came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools ranking. Notre Dame is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Notre Dame.
After completing their degree, theology graduates from Notre Dame carry an average student debtload of $19,000.
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Dallas Theological Seminary ranked #15 on this year’s Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools list. Located in the large city of Dallas, DTS Dallas is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
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Nazarene Bible College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools list. Located in the large city of Colorado Springs, Nazarene Bible College is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
While working on their degree, theology majors at Nazarene Bible College accumulate an average of around $40,489 in student debt.
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Fuller Theological Seminary landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best theological and ministerial studies programs. Located in the midsize city of Pasadena, Fuller is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
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Duke University landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best theological and ministerial studies programs. Duke is a large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Durham.
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With a ranking of #19, Mid-America Christian University did quite well on this year’s best schools for theological and ministerial studies students. Located in the large city of Oklahoma City, MACU is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
After completing their degree, theology graduates from MACU carry an average student debtload of $47,146.
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Brite Divinity School came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools ranking. Located in the large city of Fort Worth, Brite Divinity is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
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Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools ranking. Located in the city of Chicago, LSTC is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
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Here are some additional great schools for Theological & Ministerial Studies students that almost earned our Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Northwest University - College of Adult and Professional Studies | Kirkland, WA |
| 23 | Drew University | Madison, NJ |
| 24 | Vanderbilt University | Nashville, TN |
| 25 | Sewanee - The University of the South | Sewanee, TN |
| 26 | Crown College | Saint Bonifacius, MN |
| 27 | Concordia University, Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, MI |
| 28 | Western Seminary | Portland, OR |
Theological & Ministerial Studies by Region
View the Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More Theological & Ministerial Studies Rankings
Rankings in Majors Related to Theology
One of 7 majors within the area of study, theological and ministerial studies has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Majors Related to Theology
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Biblical Studies | 4,119 |
| Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries | 3,116 |
| Religious Education | 1,417 |
| Missionary Studies | 1,220 |
| Theology & Religious Vocations (Other) | 1,166 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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 the rest 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Jonund.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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