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2024 Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region

23 Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
2,366 Theology Degrees Awarded
$41,653 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you plan on majoring in theological & ministerial studies, you won't be alone since the degree program is ranked #63 in the country in terms of popularity. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 23 schools in the Great Lakes Region to determine which ones were the best for theological & ministerial studies students pursuing a degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 2,366 degrees in theological & ministerial studies during the 2020-2021 academic year.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Theological & Ministerial Studies School

Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region The theology program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Theological & Ministerial Studies rankings. We derive our Best Overall Theological & Ministerial Studies School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Theological & Ministerial Studies Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Theology
Bachelor's Degrees in Theology
Master's Degrees in Theology
Doctor's Degrees in Theology

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 Schools in the Great Lakes Region list, to help you choose the best school for you. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Theological & Ministerial Studies in the Great Lakes Region

The schools below may not offer all types of theology degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.

10 Top Great Lakes Region Schools in Theology

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
139 Theology Degrees Awarded
1.4% Growth in Graduates

University of Notre Dame is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in theological & ministerial studies. Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Notre Dame. A Best Colleges rank of #20 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Notre Dame is a great university overall.

There were approximately 139 theological & ministerial studies students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the theology program make around $31,667 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in theological & ministerial studies from University of Notre Dame

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
99 Theology Degrees Awarded
22.2% Growth in Graduates

University of Chicago is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in theological & ministerial studies. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago. A Best Colleges rank of #2 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UChicago is a great university overall.

There were approximately 99 theological & ministerial studies students who graduated with this degree at UChicago in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the theology program make around $43,171 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in theological & ministerial studies from University of Chicago

3
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
200 Theology Degrees Awarded
1.5% Growth in Graduates

Moody Bible Institute is a good decision for students pursuing a degree in theological & ministerial studies. Located in the large city of Chicago, Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

There were approximately 200 theological & ministerial studies students who graduated with this degree at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the theology program state that they receive average early career income of $39,124.

More information about a degree in theological & ministerial studies from Moody Bible Institute

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
13th Most Popular In IL
17.6% Growth in Graduates

Loyola University Chicago is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in theological & ministerial studies. Loyola Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Chicago. A Best Colleges rank of #137 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Loyola Chicago is a great university overall.

There were approximately 17 theological & ministerial studies students who graduated with this degree at Loyola Chicago in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theological & ministerial studies from Loyola University Chicago

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
12th Most Popular In IL
37.5% Growth in Graduates

Olivet Nazarene is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small suburb of Bourbonnais. This university ranks 33rd out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were roughly 24 theological & ministerial studies students who graduated with this degree at Olivet Nazarene in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theological & ministerial studies from Olivet Nazarene University

6
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In OH
156 Theology Degrees Awarded

Located in the distant town of Circleville, OCU is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. This university ranks 60th out of 96 schools for overall quality in the state of Ohio.

There were approximately 156 theological & ministerial studies students who graduated with this degree at OCU in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theological & ministerial studies from Ohio Christian University

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
205 Theology Degrees Awarded
30.2% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Steubenville, Franciscan U is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. This university ranks 29th out of 96 schools for overall quality in the state of Ohio.

There were approximately 205 theological & ministerial studies students who graduated with this degree at Franciscan U in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the theology program earn around $30,239 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in theological & ministerial studies from Franciscan University of Steubenville

8
Andrews crest
Andrews University
Berrien Springs, MI
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
154 Theology Degrees Awarded
$46,834 Median Starting Salary

Andrews is a small private not-for-profit university located in the fringe town of Berrien Springs. This university ranks 15th out of 57 schools for overall quality in the state of Michigan.

There were roughly 154 theological & ministerial studies students who graduated with this degree at Andrews in the most recent data year. Theological & Ministerial Studies degree recipients from Andrews University get an earnings boost of around $5,181 over the typical income of theological & ministerial studies majors.

More information about a degree in theological & ministerial studies from Andrews University

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
60 Theology Degrees Awarded
15.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the town of Lincoln, Lincoln Christian College and Seminary is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.

There were roughly 60 theological & ministerial studies students who graduated with this degree at Lincoln Christian College and Seminary in the most recent year we have data available. After graduation, theology degree recipients typically earn an average of $35,010 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in theological & ministerial studies from Lincoln Christian University

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$38,767 Median Starting Salary

Located in the suburb of Wheaton, Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #257 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Wheaton College Illinois is a great college overall.

There were about 25 theological & ministerial studies students who graduated with this degree at Wheaton College Illinois in the most recent year we have data available. After graduation, theology degree recipients generally earn an average of $38,767 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in theological & ministerial studies from Wheaton College Illinois

Best Theological & Ministerial Studies Colleges by State

Explore the best theological & ministerial studies schools for a specific state in the Great Lakes Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Michigan 322 328
Ohio 314 609
Illinois 304 812
Indiana 294 391
Wisconsin 273 80

View All Rankings >

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
Divinity/Ministry 1,080
Theology 1,007
Other Theological & Ministerial Studies 256
Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies 23

View All Theology Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries 812
Biblical Studies 480
Theology & Religious Vocations (Other) 435
Religious Education 292
Missionary Studies 155
Sacred Music 87
Religious Institution Administration and Law 9

View All Theology Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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