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2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois

8 Ranked Colleges
556 Degrees Awarded
$22,700 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Theology Schools for a Master's in Illinois

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 15,051 people earned their degree in theological and ministerial studies, making the major the 55th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, theological and ministerial studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $36,911 and had an average of $41,597 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 816 theological and ministerial studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $45,575 and $43,492 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 556 theological and ministerial studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,267 and $46,814 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois” ranking analyzed 8 colleges that offered a degree in theological and ministerial studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent theological and ministerial studies programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the theological and ministerial studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois” 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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois master’s degree theology students.

Top 8 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Theological & Ministerial Studies in Illinois

#1

Moody Bible Institute

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Moody Bible Institute. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s theology degrees to 60 students in 2019-2020.

Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School are $8,930, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at Moody Bible Institute

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 29 degrees to qualified masters’s theology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree theology students list, LSTC has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago are $19,345, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full LSTC Theological & Ministerial Studies Report

#3

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

Out of the 8 schools in the Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Wheaton College Illinois landed the #3 spot on the list. Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wheaton, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 33 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Illinois, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Wheaton College Illinois are $17,424, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Wheaton College Illinois

#4

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Loyola University Chicago. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois. Loyola University Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 masters’s theology degrees to qualified students.

Loyola Chicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Loyola University Chicago are $19,154.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at Loyola University Chicago

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Garrett - Evangelical Theological Seminary. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois. Garrett - Evangelical Theological Seminary is a small school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 38 masters’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.

Garrett - Evangelical Theological Seminary also took the #6 spot in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Garrett - Evangelical Theological Seminary are $22,747.

Full Garrett - Evangelical Theological Seminary Theological & Ministerial Studies Report

Trinity International University - Illinois landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois ranking. Trinity International University - Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Deerfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 102 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree theology students list, TIU Illinois has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at TIU Illinois are $17,780, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Theological & Ministerial Studies at TIU Illinois

Northern Baptist Theological Seminary landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois ranking. Northern Baptist Theological Seminary is located in Lisle, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 masters’s theology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree theology students list, Northern Seminary has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northern Seminary are $13,929.

Read full report on Theological & Ministerial Studies at Northern Seminary

#8

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology Schools for a Master’s in Illinois ranking, coming in at #8. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 59 masters’s theology degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #1. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Chicago are $61,548.

Full UChicago Theological & Ministerial Studies Report

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Jonund.

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