2027 Best Value Lay Ministry Schools in the Southeast Region
[Lay Ministry](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/pastoral-counseling-specialized-ministries/lay-ministry/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong lay ministry education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value lay ministry schools.
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2027 Best Value Lay Ministry Schools in the Southeast Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the lay ministry degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Lay Ministry Schools
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary tops our 2027 list of the best value lay ministry schools in the Southeast Region. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wake Forest. Students from in state pay about $11,318 in tuition and fees. Lay Ministry graduates of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary earn a median of $54,863 early in their careers. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary admits about 75% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in lay ministry will find it at Regent University, which ranked #2. Regent University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Virginia Beach. Students from in state pay about $21,650 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $35,500 to complete the lay ministry program here. Early-career lay ministry graduates make about $33,407. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
South Florida Bible College And Theological Seminary came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value lay ministry schools. Located in the city of Deerfield Beach, South Florida Bible College And Theological Seminary is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $7,740 in tuition and fees. Median earnings reach $45,354 ten years out.
Liberty University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in lay ministry, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $16,173 in tuition and fees. Lay Ministry graduates carry a median of $23,750 in student loans. Early-career lay ministry graduates make about $34,083. That is a strong return on a $23,750 median debt. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- 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 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
