by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries prepares you to provide spiritual guidance and other services to members of your congregation. Along with spiritual counseling, this degree will teach students to provide crisis management, theological counseling and education, and religious instruction to others. Classes in theology, ministry, world religions, history, literature, counseling psychology, and biblical studies will prepare students to counsel others or lead specialized religious organizations as a minister.
Along with the option to major in general Pastoral Studies and Counseling, students have the option to specialize in areas like Youth Ministry, Urban Ministry, Women's Ministry, Lay Ministry. These specialized areas allow students to focus on a unique group of people and ensure everyone is welcome into religious organization and has a safe place to practice their faith.
In 2020-2021, pastoral counseling and specialized ministries was the 171st most popular major nationwide with 3,116 degrees awarded. This represents a 2.8% increase in pastoral counseling degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 3,028.
Our 2023 Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools ranking analyzes 78 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for pastoral counseling and specialized ministries students. Explore this or one of our many other custom pastoral counseling rankings further below.
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries students are likely to pursue careers where they will be working closely with others. Strong interpersonal and communication skills along with compassion and understanding are important when helping counsel others through difficult times or when leading services. Students who excel in this field have a passion for their religion and enjoy helping others understand their religion and their relationship to it.
A degree in Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries will often lead to a full time job as a member of a religious organization. Some graduates will provide non-clinical counseling services to congregation members while others will decide to become ministers and preach. These careers can lead to atypical work hours both on the weekends and in the evenings during the week.
Students who are interested in pursuing a degree in Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries should find a summer job or internship with their congregation. This will allow them to work closely with a professional and gain hands-on experience in the field. The experience will also help students decide what they would like to do with their degree after graduation.
pastoral counseling and specialized ministries degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Once you obtain your degree, additional pastoral counseling certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
There are various different levels of pastoral counseling degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in pastoral counseling and specialized ministries to something that takes less time like a . The time it takes to complete a pastoral counseling degree varies depending on the program.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to pastoral counseling, with approximately 35.2% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for pastoral counseling workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 36.2% |
| Master’s Degree | 30.0% |
| Doctoral Degree | 24.2% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 4.0% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 2.8% |
Most workers in pastoral counseling have at least a master's degree. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in pastoral counseling and specialized ministries have received.
The education level required is different depending on the pastoral counseling career you are seeking.
Graduates with a degree in Pastoral Counseling or Specialized Ministries pursue careers that are affiliated with a church or religious organization. They find work as spiritual counselors or religious leaders, and have gone on to be ordained as ministers. This degree prepares students to work closely with other members of religious organization and help them understand the word of God and their relationship to religion. This field is growing at an average rate. However, graduates who are willing to relocate will have a better chance at finding a job after graduation.
Want a job when you graduate with your pastoral counseling degree? Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries careers are expected to grow 8.0% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to pastoral counseling and specialized ministries.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Clergy | 263,800 | 8.2% |
| Religious Activities and Education Directors | 157,500 | 7.1% |
| Religious Workers | 57,300 | 7.7% |
| Philosophy and Religion Professors | 35,700 | 12.3% |
Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries graduates between 2017-2019 reported earning an average of $31,592 in the 2019-2020 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $21,045 to as high as $66,736. As you might expect, salaries for pastoral counseling graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for pastoral counseling and specialized ministries graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers pastoral counseling grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Philosophy and Religion Professors | $82,420 |
| Clergy | $53,290 |
| Religious Activities and Education Directors | $46,980 |
| Religious Workers | $35,860 |
With over 640 different pastoral counseling degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased pastoral counseling school rankings to help you with this.
Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries is one of 7 different types of Theology & Religious Vocations programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Pastoral Studies/Counseling | 1,430 |
| Other Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries | 607 |
| Lay Ministry | 504 |
| Youth Ministry | 434 |
| Urban Ministry | 65 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Theological & Ministerial Studies | 15,832 |
| Biblical Studies | 4,119 |
| Religious Education | 1,417 |
| Missionary Studies | 1,220 |
| Theology & Religious Vocations (Other) | 1,166 |
