2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry
13
Ranked Colleges
504
Degrees Awarded
$26,400
Avg Cost*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, veterans have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Lay Ministry is the 630th most popular major in the country with 504 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry” ranking analyzed 13 colleges that offered a degree in lay ministry. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent lay ministry programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the lay ministry program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
More Ways to Rank Lay Ministry Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry”.
Top 13 Best Lay Ministry Colleges for Veterans
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Liberty University. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry. Lynchburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s lay ministry degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.
Liberty University also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 93,349 students enrolled at Liberty University, 13,282 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 8,897 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,888. To help with additional expenses, 386 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full Liberty University Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bethel University Minnesota. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s lay ministry degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
Bethel University Minnesota also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 3,814 students enrolled at Bethel University Minnesota, 116 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 72 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,703. On top of their other funding sources, 18 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Bethel University Minnesota]](/colleges/bethel-university-minnesota/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Regent University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry list. Regent is a fairly large school located in Virginia Beach, Virginia that handed out 46 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Regent, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1,414 of the 10,483 students enrolled at Regent were GI Bill® students, of which 1,139 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,203. In addition to receiving other benefits, 42 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full Regent Veteran Student Life Report
Out of the 13 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry that were part of this year’s ranking, Multnomah University landed the #4 spot on the list. Multnomah University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Portland, Oregon. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Multnomah University also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 623 students enrolled at Multnomah University, 29 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 13 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,799. During this same period, 6 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Multnomah University offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%.
Full Multnomah University Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grace College and Theological Seminary. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry. This small school is located in Winona Lake, Indiana, and it awarded 9 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our vets studying lay ministry list, Grace College has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 1,901 students enrolled at Grace College, 27 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 20 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,455. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Grace College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Grace College and Theological Seminary]](/colleges/grace-college-and-theological-seminary/student-life/veterans/)
Grace Christian University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry ranking, coming in at #6. Wyoming, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s lay ministry degrees to 65 students in 2020-2021.
Grace also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 101 of the 1,052 students enrolled at Grace were GI Bill® students, of which 61 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,478. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Grace Christian University Veteran Student Life Report
University of Northwestern - St Paul came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry ranking. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s lay ministry degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our vets studying lay ministry list, Northwestern has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 3,506 students enrolled at Northwestern, 53 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 37 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,408. On top of their other funding sources, 17 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Gordon - Conwell Theological Seminary landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry ranking. This small school is located in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 78 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Gordon - Conwell Seminary, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 1,489 students enrolled at Gordon - Conwell Seminary, 6 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,506. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
With a ranking of #9, Westminster Theological Seminary did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry list. Westminster Theological Seminary is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Glenside, Pennsylvania. It awarded 58 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
Westminster Theological Seminary also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Westminster Theological Seminary supports 854 students, and 26 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 20 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,026. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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 veteran student life at Westminster Theological Seminary]](/colleges/westminster-theological-seminary/student-life/veterans/)
Southwestern Assemblies of God University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry ranking. This small school is located in Waxahachie, Texas, and it awarded 12 ’s lay ministry degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our vets studying lay ministry list, Southwestern Assemblies of God University has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 1,985 students enrolled at Southwestern Assemblies of God University, 90 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 65 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,820. In addition to receiving other benefits, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Southwestern Assemblies of God University offers credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Southwestern Assemblies of God University]](/colleges/southwestern-assemblies-of-god-university/student-life/veterans/)
Manhattan Christian College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry ranking. Manhattan Christian College is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 ’s lay ministry degrees to qualified students.
MCC also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 170 students enrolled at MCC, 19 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 11 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,759. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
North Central University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry ranking. North Central University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
North Central University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 1,062 students enrolled at North Central University, 22 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,943. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full North Central University Veteran Student Life Report
With a ranking of #13, Covenant Theological Seminary did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Lay Ministry list. Covenant Seminary is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 ’s lay ministry degrees to qualified students.
Covenant Seminary did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 593 students enrolled at Covenant Seminary, 15 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 13 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,350. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 Covenant Theological Seminary Veteran Student Life Report
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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