by our College Data Analytics Team
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 504 people earned their degree in lay ministry, making the major the 630th most popular in the United States.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major” ranking analyzed 53 colleges that offered a degree in lay ministry. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in lay ministry.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
The lay ministry school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major”.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Westminster Theological Seminary. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major. Westminster Theological Seminary is a small school located in Glenside, Pennsylvania that handed out 58 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Out of the 53 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Grace Christian University landed the #2 spot on the list. Grace Christian University is located in Wyoming, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 65 ’s lay ministry degrees to qualified students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Urshan Graduate School of Theology. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major list. Located in Florissant, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 8 degrees to qualified ’s lay ministry students in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Out of the 53 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Athenaeum of Ohio landed the #4 spot on the list. Mount St. Mary’s Seminary is a small school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 5 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
Out of the 53 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Oak Hills Christian College landed the #5 spot on the list. Oak Hills Christian College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bemidji, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Out of the 53 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Sioux Falls Seminary landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and it awarded 6 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 1 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Lay Ministry at North American Baptist Seminary
Gordon - Conwell Theological Seminary did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major ranking, coming in at #7. Located in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 78 diplomas to qualified ’s lay ministry students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Lay Ministry at Gordon - Conwell Theological Seminary
With a ranking of #8, Horizon University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major list. Horizon University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
University of Fort Lauderdale ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major list. Located in Lauderhill, Florida, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 1 degrees to qualified ’s lay ministry students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
With a ranking of #10, Saint John’s Seminary did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major list. Saint John’s Seminary is a small school located in Brighton, Massachusetts that handed out 3 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
Carolina Christian College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and it awarded 1 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
Manhattan Christian College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Manhattan, Kansas, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified ’s lay ministry students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
United Theological Seminary came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major ranking. United Theological Seminary is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dayton, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Covenant Theological Seminary came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major ranking. Covenant Theological Seminary is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 9 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #14, Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major list. Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wendell, North Carolina. It awarded 1 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Lay Ministry at Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College
Meadville Lombard Theological School ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s lay ministry degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Meadville Lombard Theological School Lay Ministry Report
Arizona Christian University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major ranking, coming in at #17. Arizona Christian University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Phoenix, Arizona. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Lay Ministry at Arizona Christian University
Kuyper College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major ranking, coming in at #18. Grand Rapids, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s lay ministry degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
North Central University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major ranking. This small school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 7 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #20, Oakwood University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major list. Oakwood University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Huntsville, Alabama. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
With a ranking of #21, Judson University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major list. This small school is located in Elgin, Illinois, and it awarded 7 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #22, Bethel University - Mishawaka did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major list. Bethel University is located in Mishawaka, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 ’s lay ministry degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Lay Ministry at Bethel University - Mishawaka
With a ranking of #23, Southwestern Assemblies of God University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major list. Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waxahachie, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Lay Ministry at Southwestern Assemblies of God University
Regent University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major ranking. Regent University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Calvin University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Lay Ministry Major ranking. Calvin University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 37 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
