by our College Data Analytics Team
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries is the 171st most popular major in the country with 3,116 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, pastoral counseling and specialized ministries graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,592 and had an average of $26,577 in loans still to pay off.
At the associate degree level specifically, there were 221 pastoral counseling and specialized ministries graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,806 and $19,336 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major” ranking looked at 30 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in pastoral counseling and specialized ministries. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in pastoral counseling and specialized ministries.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to 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 colleges and universities below are the best for associate degree pastoral counseling students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Valor Christian College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major. Valor Christian College is located in Canal Winchester, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 48 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Valor Christian College
Out of the 30 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Universidad Pentecostal Mizpa landed the #2 spot on the list. Universidad Pentecostal Mizpa is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rio Piedras, . It awarded 17 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Universidad Pentecostal Mizpa
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pacific Bible College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major list. This small school is located in Medford, Oregon, and it awarded 2 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Pacific Bible College
Out of the 30 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Grace Christian University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Wyoming, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 37 diplomas to qualified associates’s pastoral counseling students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Grace Christian University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ozark Christian College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major list. Located in Joplin, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 22 diplomas to qualified associates’s pastoral counseling students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.
Full Ozark Christian College Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report
Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking. This small school is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it awarded 5 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at CCCTS
Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major list. Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College is a small school located in Wendell, North Carolina that handed out 1 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.
Union Bible College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking, coming in at #8. Union Bible College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Westfield, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Union Bible College
With a ranking of #9, Kansas Christian College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major list. Kansas Christian College is located in Overland Park, Kansas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees to qualified students.
Full Kansas Christian College Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report
North Central University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified associates’s pastoral counseling students 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%.
Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at North Central University
Southwestern Assemblies of God University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking, coming in at #11. Southwestern Assemblies of God University is located in Waxahachie, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees to qualified students.
Full Southwestern Assemblies of God University Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report
South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking. Deerfield Beach, Florida is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associates’s pastoral counseling degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full South Florida Bible College Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report
Calvin University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking. Grand Rapids, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associates’s pastoral counseling degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Calvin
Maranatha Baptist University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking. Watertown, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associates’s pastoral counseling degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.
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%.
Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at MBU
With a ranking of #15, Geneva College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major list. Located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified associates’s pastoral counseling students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Geneva College
Emmaus Bible College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking. Located in Dubuque, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified associates’s pastoral counseling students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Emmaus Bible College
Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking. Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global is a fairly large school located in Marion, Indiana that handed out 32 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full IWU Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report
Crown College ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major list. Located in Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified associates’s pastoral counseling students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Crown College
With a ranking of #19, Union University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major list. Located in Jackson, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 degrees to qualified associates’s pastoral counseling students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.
Full Union Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking. NOBTS is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New Orleans, Louisiana. It awarded 1 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #21, Welch College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major list. Welch College is a small school located in Gallatin, Tennessee that handed out 6 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full Welch Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report
Bethel University - Mishawaka came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking. Bethel University is a small school located in Mishawaka, Indiana that handed out 9 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%.
Full Bethel University - Mishawaka Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report
With a ranking of #21, Mid-South Christian College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major list. Mid-South Christian College is located in Memphis, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 0 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at MSCC
Belhaven University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking. Belhaven University is located in Jackson, Mississippi and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 0 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees to qualified students.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Belhaven Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report
Indiana Wesleyan University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major list. This small school is located in Marion, Indiana, and it awarded 54 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at IWU
University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking, coming in at #21. Fort Wayne, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associates’s pastoral counseling degrees to 0 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at University of St. Francis Fort Wayne
Point University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking. Point University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in West Point, Georgia. It awarded 0 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Point
Howard Payne University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Brownwood, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified associates’s pastoral counseling students 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.
Full Howard Payne University Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report
Great Lakes Christian College ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major list. This small school is located in Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 0 associates’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Great Lakes Christian College
Universidad Teologica del Caribe came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major ranking. Universidad Teologica del Caribe is a private not-for-profit institution located in Trujillo Alto, . The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Universidad Teologica del Caribe Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
