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2023 Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Colleges for Veterans in Illinois

11 Ranked Colleges
837 Degrees Awarded
$30,600 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 15,832 people earned their degree in theological and ministerial studies, making the major the 63rd most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, theological and ministerial studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $40,590 and had an average of $26,272 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 837 theological and ministerial studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $43,075 and $16,682 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology” ranking, we looked at 11 colleges that offer 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 offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the theological and ministerial studies program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools

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The theology school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology”.

Top 11 Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Colleges for Veterans in Illinois

1
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theology degrees to 99 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, UChicago supports 17,834 students, and 241 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 113 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,948. In addition to receiving other benefits, 58 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UChicago]](/colleges/university-of-chicago/student-life/veterans/)

2
Loyola Chicago crest
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Loyola University Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology list. Loyola University Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s theology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois vets studying theology list, Loyola Chicago has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 16,893 students enrolled at Loyola Chicago, 261 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 165 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,263. During this same period, 78 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Loyola Chicago offers credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Loyola Chicago Veteran Student Life Report

3
Olivet Nazarene crest
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Olivet Nazarene University. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology. This small school is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and it awarded 24 ’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois vets studying theology list, Olivet Nazarene has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 3,764 students enrolled at Olivet Nazarene, 57 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 35 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,334. During this same period, 11 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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

Full Olivet Nazarene University Veteran Student Life Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Trinity International University - Illinois. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology list. Trinity International University - Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Deerfield, Illinois. It awarded 99 ’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.

TIU Illinois also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 1,454 students enrolled at TIU Illinois, 14 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,061. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read More…

5
Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School crest
Moody Bible Institute
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 11 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology that were part of this year’s ranking, Moody Bible Institute landed the #5 spot on the list. Moody Bible Institute is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 200 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Moody Bible Institute supports 2,870 students, and 3 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $125. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

6
Wheaton College Illinois crest
Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small school located in Wheaton, Illinois that handed out 25 ’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.

Wheaton College Illinois not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 2,908 students enrolled at Wheaton College Illinois, 56 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 45 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,675. During this same period, 29 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

7

Northern Baptist Theological Seminary did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology ranking, coming in at #7. Lisle, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theology degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

Northern Seminary did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Northern Seminary supports 285 students, and 5 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 4 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,647. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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

Full Northern Seminary Veteran Student Life Report

8

Meadville Lombard Theological School landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology ranking. Meadville Lombard Theological School is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 12 ’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.

Meadville Lombard Theological School not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Meadville Lombard Theological School supports 83 students, and 4 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $26,316. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 full report on veteran student life at Meadville Lombard Theological School]](/colleges/meadville-lombard-theological-school/student-life/veterans/)

9

With a ranking of #9, Lincoln Christian University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology list. Lincoln Christian College and Seminary is a small school located in Lincoln, Illinois that handed out 60 ’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.

Lincoln Christian College and Seminary also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 581 students enrolled at Lincoln Christian College and Seminary, 13 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 6 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,761. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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

Read More…

10

Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology ranking, coming in at #10. LSTC is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 43 ’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.

LSTC also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago supports 145 students, and 3 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 2 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,390. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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.

Full Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago Veteran Student Life Report

10

McCormick Theological Seminary ranked #10 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Theology list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theology degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

McCormick Theological Seminary also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 2 of the 221 students enrolled at McCormick Theological Seminary were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full McCormick Theological Seminary Veteran Student Life Report

Notes and References

References

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