2024 Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor's Degree Schools in California

Ranked #18 in popularity, theological & ministerial studies is one of the most sought-after doctor's degree programs in the nation. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for theological & ministerial studies students pursuing a doctor's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 141 doctor's degrees in theological & ministerial studies during the 2020-2021 academic year.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

• Best Doctor’s Degree Schools List

Early-Career Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of doctorate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their doctor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

• Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to theological & ministerial studies students as compared to other majors.
• Major Demand - The number of theological & ministerial studies students who choose to seek a doctor's degree at the school.
• Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
• Student Debt - How easy is it for theological & ministerial studies to pay back their student loans after receiving their doctor's degree.
• Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized theological & ministerial studies related body.

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for theological & ministerial studies students working on their doctor's degree.

More Ways to Rank Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Doctor's Degree Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for you.

Best Schools for Doctorate Students to Study Theological & Ministerial Studies in California

Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for theological & ministerial studies students seeking a a doctor's degree.

Top California Schools for a Doctorate in Theology

1

Fuller Theological Seminary
Pasadena, CA

74 Annual Graduates

Fuller Theological Seminary is a good choice for students pursuing a doctor's degree in theological & ministerial studies. Fuller is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pasadena.More information about a doctorate in theological & ministerial studies from Fuller Theological Seminary

2

Biola University
La Mirada, CA

It's hard to beat Biola University if you want to pursue a doctor's degree in theological & ministerial studies. Biola is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of La Mirada.More information about a doctorate in theological & ministerial studies from Biola University

Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State	Colleges	Degrees Awarded
Washington	122	6
Oregon	107	9

View All Rankings >

Rankings in Majors Related to Theology

One of 7 majors within the Theology & Religious Vocations area of study, Theological & Ministerial Studies has other similar majors worth exploring.

Theology Concentrations

Major	Annual Graduates
Other Theological & Ministerial Studies	77
Theology	59
Divinity/Ministry	5

Most Popular Majors Related to Theology

Related Major	Annual Graduates
Theology & Religious Vocations (Other)	43
Missionary Studies	31
Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries	27
Religious Education	5

Notes and References

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• 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 the rest 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).
• Credit for the banner image above goes to Jonund. More about our data sources and methodologies.