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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries in the Southwest Region

17 Ranked Colleges
201 Degrees Awarded
$31,878 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 the Southwest region, there were 387 pastoral counseling and specialized ministries graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,975 and $32,072 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 201 pastoral counseling and specialized ministries graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,204 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region” ranking, we looked at 17 colleges that offer a degree 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.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region

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

Top 17 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries in the Southwest Region

1

Out of the 17 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest landed the #1 spot on the list. Seminary of the Southwest is a small school located in Austin, Texas that handed out 21 masters’s pastoral counseling 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.

Full Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

2

Out of the 17 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Family of Faith Christian University landed the #2 spot on the list. FFCU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 Family of Faith Christian University

3

Out of the 17 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary landed the #3 spot on the list. Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is located in Austin, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees to qualified students.

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 Austin Seminary

4

Out of the 17 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Bakke Graduate University landed the #4 spot on the list. Bakke Graduate University is a small school located in Dallas, Texas that handed out 4 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at BGU

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Dallas Theological Seminary. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region. Dallas Theological Seminary is located in Dallas, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 61 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees to qualified students.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full DTS Dallas Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

6

With a ranking of #6, University of St. Thomas did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region list. Located in Houston, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 38 degrees to qualified masters’s pastoral counseling students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 UST Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

7

Dallas Baptist University ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region list. Dallas, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s pastoral counseling degrees to 41 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Dallas Baptist University

8

Grace School of Theology came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Grace School of Theology is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Conroe, Texas. It awarded 1 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 Grace School of Theology

9
Howard Payne crest
Howard Payne University
Brownwood, Texas

Howard Payne University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #9. Howard Payne is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Brownwood, Texas. It awarded 2 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees 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.

Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Howard Payne University

10

Abilene Christian University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Abilene, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s pastoral counseling degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Abilene Christian University

11

Southwestern Assemblies of God University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Waxahachie, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s pastoral counseling degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at Southwestern Assemblies of God University

12

University of the Incarnate Word landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region ranking. University of the Incarnate Word is located in San Antonio, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees to qualified students.

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 UIW

13

Hardin - Simmons University ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region list. Hardin - Simmons is located in Abilene, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees to qualified students.

Full Hardin - Simmons University Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

14
UD crest
University of Dallas
Irving, Texas

With a ranking of #14, University of Dallas did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region list. This small school is located in Irving, Texas, and it awarded 1 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at UD

15
ORU crest
Oral Roberts University
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Oral Roberts University ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region list. Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 degrees to qualified masters’s pastoral counseling students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at ORU

16

Arlington Baptist University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region ranking. This small school is located in Arlington, Texas, and it awarded 7 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

Full ABU Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Report

16
USW crest
University of the Southwest
Hobbs, New Mexico

University of the Southwest ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Pastoral Counseling Major in the Southwest Region list. University of the Southwest is located in Hobbs, New Mexico and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 0 masters’s pastoral counseling degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries at University of the Southwest

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Notes and References

References

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Footnotes

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