2026 Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in California
Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their pastoral counseling & specialized ministries programs.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 21 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall pastoral counseling & specialized ministries education in California.
Top Schools in Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries
No school ranked higher than Loyola Marymount University this year for pastoral counseling & specialized ministries. Located in the city of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University is a large private not-for-profit university. Loyola Marymount University graduates 79% of students within six years. About 11 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries degrees were awarded at Loyola Marymount University in the most recent year. Graduates of the pastoral counseling & specialized ministries program make about $52,935 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,248.
See the full pastoral counseling & specialized ministries program report for Loyola Marymount University
The Masters College And Seminary came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best pastoral counseling & specialized ministries schools. The Masters College And Seminary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Santa Clarita. The Masters College And Seminary graduates 67% of students within six years. There were roughly 101 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at The Masters College And Seminary in the most recent data year. Students who receive their pastoral counseling & specialized ministries degree from The Masters College And Seminary earn around $46,541 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,089.
Get the full pastoral counseling & specialized ministries details for The Masters College And Seminary
A rank of #3 makes Vanguard University Of Southern California one of the top schools for pastoral counseling & specialized ministries. This mid-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Costa Mesa. About 57% of students finish within six years. Vanguard University Of Southern California awarded about 19 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries degrees in the most recent data year. Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries graduates of Vanguard University Of Southern California earn a median of $80,727 early in their careers. Vanguard University Of Southern California graduates carry a median of $21,111 in student loans.
Read more about the pastoral counseling & specialized ministries program at Vanguard University Of Southern California
Biola University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best pastoral counseling & specialized ministries schools. Located in the suburb of La Mirada, Biola University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. About 68% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 10 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at Biola University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the pastoral counseling & specialized ministries program make about $45,003 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $25,308 to complete this degree.
Read more about the pastoral counseling & specialized ministries program at Biola University
Life Pacific College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best pastoral counseling & specialized ministries schools. Life Pacific College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of San Dimas. Life Pacific College graduates 38% of students within six years. About 23 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries degrees were awarded at Life Pacific College in the most recent year. Graduates of the pastoral counseling & specialized ministries program make about $37,436 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $24,083.
More information about a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries from Life Pacific College
World Mission University earned the #6 position for pastoral counseling & specialized ministries this year. World Mission University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Roughly 100% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 42 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at World Mission University in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in pastoral counseling & specialized ministries from World Mission University
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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.
