2026 Best Pastoral Studies/Counseling Schools in the The Plains States Region
Pastoral Studies/Counseling programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 21 schools to find the best for pastoral studies/counseling students.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Pastoral Studies/Counseling in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall pastoral studies/counseling education in the The Plains States Region.
Top Schools in Pastoral Studies/Counseling
Bethel University Minnesota is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in pastoral studies/counseling. This mid-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the suburb of Saint Paul. About 71% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 17 pastoral studies/counseling students who graduated with this degree at Bethel University Minnesota in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, pastoral studies/counseling degree recipients from Bethel University Minnesota generally make around $45,641. Typical student debt for the program is $25,639.
Read more about the pastoral studies/counseling program at Bethel University Minnesota
Students looking for a strong pastoral studies/counseling program will find one at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, which ranked #2. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Kansas City. The six-year graduation rate is 64%. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary awarded about 34 pastoral studies/counseling degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their pastoral studies/counseling degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary earn around $55,308 in the first couple years of their career. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary graduates carry a median of $15,559 in student loans.
Get the full pastoral studies/counseling details for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Students looking for a strong pastoral studies/counseling program will find one at Ozark Christian College, which ranked #3. Ozark Christian College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Joplin. Roughly 58% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 15 pastoral studies/counseling students who graduated with this degree at Ozark Christian College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their pastoral studies/counseling degree from Ozark Christian College earn around $26,422 in the first couple years of their career. Ozark Christian College graduates carry a median of $23,500 in student loans.
More information about a degree in pastoral studies/counseling from Ozark Christian College
Narrow Pastoral Studies/Counseling Schools by State
More Pastoral Studies/Counseling Rankings
View All Pastoral Studies/Counseling Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 21 schools evaluated.
- 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.
