Theological and Ministerial Studies: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 39.06. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 1,119 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 62 | 258 | Data unavailable | $28,811 | $16,658 1 programs |
| Associate's degree | 63 | 236 | $32,486 | $40,367 | $13,379 1 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 262 | 2,178 | $36,786 | $44,535 | $24,317 22 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 15 | 0 | $45,131 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 359 | 9,461 | $53,826 | $61,300 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 159 | 1,463 | $67,958 | $71,982 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 78 | 683 | $58,111 | $63,395 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 121 | 639 | $60,160 | $65,779 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern University FL · Private, nonprofit · 99 graduates measured | $31,253 | $45,142 | $13,379 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Master's University and Seminary CA · Private, nonprofit · 35 graduates measured | $46,919 | $47,403 | $18,539 |
| University of Notre Dame IN · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $45,317 | $54,758 | $19,200 |
| Moody Bible Institute IL · Private, nonprofit · 126 graduates measured | $43,621 | $38,907 | $20,000 |
| Trinity College of Florida FL · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $40,996 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Northwest University WA · Private, nonprofit · 68 graduates measured | $40,408 | $52,385 | $25,753 |
| Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education WA · Private, nonprofit · 68 graduates measured | $40,408 | $52,385 | $25,753 |
| University of Dallas TX · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $40,129 | $49,564 | Data unavailable |
| Southeastern University FL · Private, nonprofit · 282 graduates measured | $37,894 | $44,106 | $23,900 |
| Benedictine College KS · Private, nonprofit · 30 graduates measured | $37,784 | $36,829 | $21,500 |
| Oral Roberts University OK · Private, nonprofit · 71 graduates measured | $36,777 | $45,360 | $31,000 |
| University of Mary ND · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $36,223 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Mid-America Christian University OK · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $36,191 | Data unavailable | $43,313 |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University FL · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $35,124 | $53,398 | Data unavailable |
| Franciscan University of Steubenville OH · Private, nonprofit · 77 graduates measured | $33,568 | $39,091 | $24,734 |
| Johnson University Florida · Private, nonprofit · 45 graduates measured | $33,278 | Data unavailable | $21,650 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion NY · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $114,148 | $117,823 | Data unavailable |
| Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest TX · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $91,825 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Luther Seminary MN · Private, nonprofit · 45 graduates measured | $88,567 | $81,169 | Data unavailable |
| Concordia Seminary MO · Private, nonprofit · 74 graduates measured | $84,695 | $97,155 | Data unavailable |
| Harding University AR · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $79,289 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Howard University DC · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $76,040 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Wartburg Theological Seminary IA · Private, nonprofit · 68 graduates measured | $75,174 | $60,439 | Data unavailable |
| United Lutheran Seminary PA · Private, nonprofit · 43 graduates measured | $69,499 | $75,543 | Data unavailable |
| The Master's University and Seminary CA · Private, nonprofit · 35 graduates measured | $69,234 | $81,084 | Data unavailable |
| Concordia Theological Seminary IN · Private, nonprofit · 34 graduates measured | $68,124 | $80,818 | Data unavailable |
| The King's University TX · Private, nonprofit · 24 graduates measured | $65,206 | $100,714 | Data unavailable |
| Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary KY · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $65,108 | $47,542 | Data unavailable |
| Luther Rice College & Seminary GA · Private, nonprofit · 51 graduates measured | $64,324 | $64,377 | Data unavailable |
| University of Dubuque IA · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $63,025 | $66,039 | Data unavailable |
| Drew University NJ · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $62,892 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary NC · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $118,656 | $95,347 | Data unavailable |
| The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary KY · Private, nonprofit · 25 graduates measured | $87,278 | $77,507 | Data unavailable |
| Duke University NC · Private, nonprofit · 31 graduates measured | $73,405 | $97,542 | Data unavailable |
| Virginia Union University VA · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $71,833 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Drew University NJ · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $67,733 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Liberty University VA · Private, nonprofit · 131 graduates measured | $66,084 | $51,327 | Data unavailable |
| University of Chicago IL · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $63,572 | $83,657 | Data unavailable |
| South University-Savannah GA · Private, for-profit · 19 graduates measured | $57,002 | $65,166 | Data unavailable |
| Regent University VA · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $52,163 | $62,308 | Data unavailable |
| Interdenominational Theological Center GA · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $34,601 | $53,122 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emory University GA · Private, nonprofit · 36 graduates measured | $104,559 | $97,227 | Data unavailable |
| Virginia Union University VA · Private, nonprofit · 30 graduates measured | $64,903 | $51,836 | Data unavailable |
| Grand Canyon University AZ · Private, for-profit · 56 graduates measured | $57,988 | $46,690 | Data unavailable |
| Andrews University MI · Private, nonprofit · 60 graduates measured | $57,979 | $67,739 | Data unavailable |
| Columbia International University SC · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $56,984 | $48,301 | Data unavailable |
| Harvard University MA · Private, nonprofit · 36 graduates measured | $51,675 | $63,549 | Data unavailable |
| Boston University MA · Private, nonprofit · 46 graduates measured | $49,264 | $65,938 | Data unavailable |
| Pittsburgh Theological Seminary PA · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $45,417 | $65,713 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Theological and Ministerial Studies
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clergy | $60,810 | +2.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Religious workers, all other | $45,280 | +1.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary | $80,260 | +2.0% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (5)
- 39.0601 Theology/Theological Studies
- 39.0602 Divinity/Ministry
- 39.0604 Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies
- 39.0605 Rabbinical Studies
- 39.0699 Theological and Ministerial Studies, Other