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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries in California

14 Ranked Colleges
134 Degrees Awarded
$45,044 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 3,116 people earned their degree in pastoral counseling and specialized ministries, making the major the 171st most popular in the United States. 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.

Across California, there were 213 pastoral counseling and specialized ministries graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,653 and $25,100 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 134 pastoral counseling and specialized ministries graduates with average earnings and debt of $62,974 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California” ranking, we looked at 14 colleges that offer a degree in pastoral counseling and specialized ministries. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their pastoral counseling and specialized ministries program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California” 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for california master’s degree pastoral counseling students.

Top 14 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries in California

1
Bethel Seminary - San Diego crest
Bethel Seminary - San Diego
San Diego, California

Out of the 14 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Bethel Seminary - San Diego landed the #1 spot on the list. Bethel Seminary - San Diego is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 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 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Bethel Seminary - San Diego

2
World Mission University crest
World Mission University
Los Angeles, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend World Mission University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California. World Mission University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at World Mission University

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Shasta Bible College and Graduate School. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California list. Located in Redding, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified masters’s pastoral counseling students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 2 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Shasta Bible College and Graduate School

4
UWest crest
University of the West
Rosemead, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of the West. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California list. UWest is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rosemead, California. It awarded 10 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at University of the West

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Academy for Jewish Religion - California. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California. Academy for Jewish Religion - California is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 1 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 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 Academy for Jewish Religion - California

6
Claremont School of Theology crest
Claremont School of Theology
Claremont, California

Claremont School of Theology did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California ranking, coming in at #6. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 9 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

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 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%.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Claremont School of Theology

7
The Master's University crest
The Master's University and Seminary
Santa Clarita, California

The Master’s University and Seminary landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California ranking. The Master’s University and Seminary is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Santa Clarita, California. It awarded 42 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at The Master’s University and Seminary

8

Vanguard University of Southern California ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California list. Vanguard is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Costa Mesa, California. It awarded 8 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Vanguard University of Southern California

9
Biola crest
Biola University
La Mirada, California

Biola University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California ranking, coming in at #9. This medium-sized school is located in La Mirada, California, and it awarded 7 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Biola University Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

10
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s pastoral counseling degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Loyola Marymount University

11
Cal Baptist crest
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

California Baptist University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California ranking, coming in at #11. Cal Baptist is a private not-for-profit institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal Baptist Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

12
La Sierra crest
La Sierra University
Riverside, California

With a ranking of #12, La Sierra University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California list. This small school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 0 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full La Sierra Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

12
Fresno Pacific crest
Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, California

Fresno Pacific University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California list. Fresno Pacific is located in Fresno, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 0 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Fresno Pacific Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

12
HNU crest
Holy Names University
Oakland, California

With a ranking of #12, Holy Names University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in California list. Holy Names University is a small school located in Oakland, California that handed out 0 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at HNU

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References

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