2026 Best Pastoral Studies/Counseling Schools in Missouri
Pastoral Studies/Counseling is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for pastoral studies/counseling students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Pastoral Studies/Counseling in Missouri
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall pastoral studies/counseling education in Missouri.
Top Schools in Pastoral Studies/Counseling
Leading the list is Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, our #1 school for pastoral studies/counseling. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Kansas City. Roughly 64% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 34 pastoral studies/counseling degrees were awarded at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in the most recent year. Graduates of the pastoral studies/counseling program make about $55,308 in their early 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
Ozark Christian College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in pastoral studies/counseling, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Joplin, Ozark Christian College is a small private not-for-profit university. Ozark Christian College graduates 58% of students within six years. About 15 pastoral studies/counseling degrees were awarded at Ozark Christian College in the most recent year. Pastoral Studies/counseling graduates of Ozark Christian College earn a median of $26,422 early in their careers. Ozark Christian College graduates carry a median of $23,500 in student loans.
Read more about the pastoral studies/counseling program at Ozark Christian College
More Pastoral Studies/Counseling Rankings
View All Pastoral Studies/Counseling Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 8 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.
