by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2020-2021, 6,253 people earned their degree in theology, making the major the 127th most popular in the United States.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 3,814 theology graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.
For this year’s “Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s” ranking, we looked at 229 colleges that offer a degree in theology. To top this list, a school must have a successful theology program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s” list, to help you choose the best school for 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.
The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree theology students.
Out of the 229 schools in the Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Liberty University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 826 diplomas to qualified masters’s theology students in 2020-2021.
Out of the 229 schools in the Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary landed the #2 spot on the list. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a small school located in Kansas City, Missouri that handed out 163 masters’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s list. Duke is a fairly large school located in Durham, North Carolina that handed out 154 masters’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Fuller Theological Seminary. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s list. Fuller Theological Seminary is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 139 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, 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.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Boston College. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s. Boston College is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. It awarded 96 masters’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Franciscan University of Steubenville did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #6. Franciscan U is a small school located in Steubenville, Ohio that handed out 83 masters’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Boston University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 80 diplomas to qualified masters’s theology students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.
With a ranking of #8, Holy Apostles College and Seminary did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s list. This small school is located in Cromwell, Connecticut, and it awarded 74 masters’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 full report on Theology at Holy Apostles College and Seminary
Harvard University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s ranking. This large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 64 masters’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Regent University ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s list. Regent University is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 61 masters’s theology degrees to qualified students.
University of Chicago landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 61 masters’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%.
University of Notre Dame did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #12. University of Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 55 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Western Seminary came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s ranking. Portland, Oregon is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s theology degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.
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 Southern Baptist Theological Seminary came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s ranking. SBTS is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Louisville, Kentucky. It awarded 43 masters’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
Saint Leo University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #15. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Leo, Florida, and it awarded 42 masters’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
Trinity International University - Illinois ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s list. TIU Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Deerfield, Illinois. It awarded 42 masters’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Theology at Trinity International University - Illinois
Biola University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s ranking. Biola is a private not-for-profit institution located in La Mirada, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 39 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s list. Wake Forest, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s theology degrees to 39 students in 2020-2021.
Shepherds Theological Seminary ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s list. Shepherds Theological Seminary is located in Cary, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 39 masters’s theology degrees to qualified students.
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 Theology at Shepherds Theological Seminary
With a ranking of #20, Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s list. Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 36 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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.
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #20. Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is located in Standish, Maine and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 36 masters’s theology degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Eastern University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #22. EU is located in Saint Davids, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 masters’s theology degrees to qualified students.
Union Theological Seminary ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s list. This small school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 33 masters’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.
Houston Baptist University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s ranking. HBU is a small school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 32 masters’s theology degrees in 2020-2021.
Luther Seminary ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s list. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 28 diplomas to qualified masters’s theology students in 2020-2021.
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.
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Theology Major for a Master’s list. New Orleans, Louisiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s theology degrees to 28 students in 2020-2021.
Not only did these schools make the top 35 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
