Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 39.07. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 522 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 | 44 | 255 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Associate's degree | 39 | 177 | $32,460 | $36,774 | $24,284 5 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 170 | 1,047 | $35,268 | $42,915 | $24,177 19 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 161 | 1,218 | $47,880 | $53,024 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 36 | 248 | $79,825 | $92,854 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 15 | 17 | $38,961 | $43,502 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 54 | 256 | $58,085 | $60,515 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grace Christian University MI · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $37,323 | $35,492 | $24,002 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion IN · Private, nonprofit · 24 graduates measured | $34,124 | $42,908 | $26,090 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global IN · Private, nonprofit · 24 graduates measured | $34,124 | $42,908 | $26,090 |
| Valor Christian College OH · Private, nonprofit · 41 graduates measured | $30,305 | $40,520 | $24,284 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regent University VA · Private, nonprofit · 26 graduates measured | $46,270 | $49,799 | $34,500 |
| Grace Christian University MI · Private, nonprofit · 30 graduates measured | $45,616 | $45,288 | $39,786 |
| Moody Bible Institute IL · Private, nonprofit · 77 graduates measured | $39,557 | $44,522 | $23,499 |
| Life Pacific University CA · Private, nonprofit · 36 graduates measured | $38,841 | $52,477 | $25,000 |
| Lee University TN · Private, nonprofit · 80 graduates measured | $38,222 | $45,844 | $28,375 |
| Gordon College MA · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $36,127 | $52,173 | Data unavailable |
| Evangel University MO · Private, nonprofit · 26 graduates measured | $34,904 | $44,988 | $22,894 |
| North Central University MN · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $34,202 | $41,979 | $23,093 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion IN · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $33,735 | $45,693 | $23,475 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global IN · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $33,735 | $45,693 | $23,475 |
| Liberty University VA · Private, nonprofit · 50 graduates measured | $33,373 | $46,531 | $20,500 |
| Ozark Christian College MO · Private, nonprofit · 79 graduates measured | $32,959 | Data unavailable | $24,044 |
| Nelson University TX · Private, nonprofit · 65 graduates measured | $32,680 | $39,707 | $26,500 |
| Bethel University IN · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $28,479 | $37,149 | $20,819 |
| Toccoa Falls College GA · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $28,302 | 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.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luther Rice College & Seminary GA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $64,044 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary MA · Private, nonprofit · 34 graduates measured | $59,370 | $52,471 | Data unavailable |
| University of St Thomas TX · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $57,016 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest TX · Private, nonprofit · 24 graduates measured | $48,665 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Grace College and Theological Seminary IN · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $47,411 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Dallas Baptist University TX · Private, nonprofit · 43 graduates measured | $47,029 | $46,406 | Data unavailable |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion IN · Private, nonprofit · 31 graduates measured | $44,219 | $53,123 | Data unavailable |
| Bethel University MN · Private, nonprofit · 26 graduates measured | $41,471 | $38,749 | Data unavailable |
| Olivet Nazarene University IL · Private, nonprofit · 29 graduates measured | $41,201 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Dallas Theological Seminary TX · Private, nonprofit · 37 graduates measured | $36,744 | $62,064 | Data unavailable |
| Southeastern University FL · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $34,842 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Fox University OR · Private, nonprofit · 39 graduates measured | $79,483 | $84,791 | 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 Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counselors, all other | $50,860 | +5.9% | Master's degree |
| Community and social service specialists, all other | $56,730 | +5.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Clergy | $60,810 | +2.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Directors, religious activities and education | $52,100 | +3.3% | 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 (7)
- 39.0701 Pastoral Studies/Counseling
- 39.0702 Youth Ministry
- 39.0703 Urban Ministry
- 39.0704 Women's Ministry
- 39.0705 Lay Ministry
- 39.0706 Chaplain/Chaplaincy Studies
- 39.0799 Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries, Other