by our College Data Analytics Team
[Pastoral Studies/Counseling](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/pastoral-counseling-specialized-ministries/pastoral-studies-counseling/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 1 schools to find the best return on investment for pastoral studies/counseling students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in pastoral studies/counseling, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Valor Christian College, our #1 best value for pastoral studies/counseling in Ohio. Located in the city of Canal Winchester, Valor Christian College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,612. Students borrow a median of $17,635 to complete the pastoral studies/counseling program here. Pastoral Studies/counseling graduates of Valor Christian College earn a median of $29,571 early in their careers.
This ranking is produced 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 · 1 school evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the one ranked school only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.