### SUMMARY

 Going to school for Pastoral Counseling is a valuable choice and ordinarily a mandatory first step for undergraduates aspiring to enter a career as a religious therapist, a marriage counselor, or a bible camp counsellor. Interestingly, pastoral counseling is an uncommon degree being the 183rd most popular area of study. Last academic year alone, there were 1,323 pastoral counseling degrees conferred. In-state tuition for pastoral counseling at private colleges is, on average, Infinity times more expensive than their public rivals.

 There are 163 colleges that offer pastoral counseling. This number of universities is fairly average in terms of the number of institutions which offer each degree. If you are looking to immerse yourself with other pastoral counseling undergraduates, consider looking at schools in Texas which have more undergraduates admitted to pastoral counseling than any other state. More generally, the top region to get a degree in pastoral counseling is in the Southeast region with [Lee University](/colleges/lee-university), [Regent University](/colleges/regent-university), and [Liberty University](/colleges/liberty-university) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection of the best conference to study pastoral counseling is the Crossroads League with [Grace College and Theological Seminary](/colleges/grace-college-and-theological-seminary), [Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion](/colleges/indiana-wesleyan-university-marion), and [Spring Arbor University](/colleges/spring-arbor-university) representing the conference. Based on our extensive list of the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges), our choice for the best school for pastoral counseling is [Columbia International University](/colleges/columbia-international-university).

 The overall 'best' school is not necessarily the 'best' school for every student. There might be a bunch more perspectives to think about when choosing school. Features such as campus amenities, transportation services, and food would definitely change one's thoughts of where to go to university. At authority.org, we've weighed the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you want to know which pastoral counseling college has the best campus, the winner is [Liberty University](/colleges/liberty-university). If you are mostly interested in which school has the finest campus, we have an entire page [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through student reviews, professor reviews, government databases, and more so we can compare every major in an unbiased and informative way. You can find our comprehensive list for the colleges with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbsphere and our choice for the college with the best student life for pastoral counseling is [Ouachita Baptist University](/colleges/ouachita-baptist-university). Curious why? Continue reading to find out more about Authority's top choices. Many of our picks might shock you.

 If cost is a primary deciding factor in your choice of where you attend school, you might be cautious about [Bethel University](/colleges/bethel-university-mn). [Bethel University](/colleges/bethel-university-mn)&nbspis the most expensive college for pastoral counseling, at least for out of state attendance. We have an entire page for the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that could put the price tag of [Bethel University](/colleges/bethel-university-mn)&nbspinto perspective. Additionally, you could be interested to know that pastoral counseling is the 273rd most expensive major in the United States, with an average bill of $25,800. To zoom out a little, the most expensive state for pastoral counseling in the country is Massachusetts demonstrated by a cost of $37,000 at the main college in the state Gordon College. To zoom out even further, the most expensive region of the U.S. for pastoral counseling is unfortunately unavailable due to missing data.

 Our cheapest region for pastoral counseling is the Rocky Mountains region which is represented by [Nazarene Bible College](/colleges/nazarene-bible-college) with a cost of $8,880. More optimistically, the most affordable university for pastoral counseling is [Selma University](/colleges/selma-university). Our entire list of the most affordable schools can be found [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state attendees can expect to pay around $0 for a degree in pastoral counseling. The cost swells substantially to an average of $0 for the out-of-state public-school student. Our pick for the university constituting the best value for pastoral counseling: [Bethel University](/colleges/bethel-university-mn). Here you will find our comprehensive list about the schools we see as being the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspin general. That being said, this list is based on the assumption that you are an out-of-state student. The value proposition changes when in-state tuition is considered, as such, we are using out-of-state tuition as the baseline.

 Earnings for pastoral counseling majors can differ, but within two years completing the major graduates will typically make around $43,000. There can be much variation in earnings potential; top earners can make up to $91,400. Even right out of college, the lowest earning positions within the pastoral counseling field earn $20,000, which could be worse. The highest earning grads from pastoral counseling have come from [Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion](/colleges/indiana-wesleyan-university-marion)&nbspand if you are looking for schools with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), we have that too.

 The overall diversity of pastoral counseling falls below average, falling in the 33rd percentile of all programs. The university with the most composite diversity for pastoral counseling is [Liberty University](/colleges/liberty-university)&nbspand here you can find our general list for the universities with the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The overall financial diversity of the Pastoral Counseling major ranks only in the 74th percentile compared to all other majors. Racial diversity is even lower in the 25th percentile. White undergraduates make up the largest proportion at 72% of students studying pastoral counseling. Additionally, 53% of students seeking a pastoral counseling major are men.

 The median ranking of pastoral counseling professors is 4 stars, a ranking that is surprisingly the median for every major; which is a fine. If you want to find the most popular pastoral counseling instructor in the nation, consider looking up Cindy Bronson at [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus). It might come as a surprise, but the highest rated pastoral counseling instructors from student rankings are found at [Weber State University](/colleges/weber-state-university). As we consider information beyond basic rankings it becomes clear that the university with the overall best professors for pastoral counseling is [Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion](/colleges/indiana-wesleyan-university-marion). You can find more detail on our ever evolving ranking methodology of the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), along with many of the top professors nationwide.

 Finally, the hardest university to get into for pastoral counseling is [Columbia International University](/colleges/columbia-international-university). While we think of this list more as a novelty, we do have an extensive page of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). That being said, here at Authority we hope you believe that looking at higher education from examples only informed by superlatives could cause problems. We hope you explore our more nuanced pages on different universities and read some of our helpful background articles on important things to look for as your school search develops.



 ### POPULARITY

 Pastoral counseling is the 183rd most popular degree in America, with 1,323 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #184 [Informatics](/rankings/best-colleges-for-informatics), and narrowly lost to #182 [Insurance](/rankings/best-colleges-for-insurance).

 The degree is offered at a total of 163 colleges across the nation, and is the 117th most widely offered degree. It is not offered at any of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that No colleges offering pastoral counseling are public making it a quite inaccessible field.

 The southeast produces the most pastoral counseling graduates, largely led by [Lee University](/colleges/lee-university), while it’s the Crossroads League that leads conference totals. As far as states, Texas ranks highest, with particular help from [Dallas Baptist University](/colleges/dallas-baptist-university) and [East Texas Baptist University](/colleges/east-texas-baptist-university).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more pastoral counseling graduates than [Amridge University](/colleges/amridge-university), which graduated 97 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study pastoral counseling). More students studied pastoral counseling as a percentage of total students at [Life Pacific University](/colleges/life-pacific-university) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Pastoral counseling is the 273rd most expensive degree in the United States, with a median cost of $25,788 amongst the top 50 programs (just ahead of #274, [Interior Architecture](rankings/best-colleges-for-interior-architecture), with a median cost of $25,713).

 New England has the most expensive colleges with top 50 pastoral counseling programs predominantly led by [Gordon College](/colleges/gordon-college) with an annual cost of $37,000. Massachusetts is the most expensive state for pastoral counseling also led by [Gordon College](/colleges/gordon-college).

 Public schools with good programs typically charge 100% less than private schools for in-state students. When looking at out-of-state tuition however, the median top 50 Public school charges 100% less than the median private school. So, if you're hoping to attend a state school, make sure you qualify for in-state tuition as soon as possible.

 The most high-priced option in the top 25 is [Bethel University](/colleges/bethel-university-mn). The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Selma University](/colleges/selma-university). It costs just $7,200 per year and is ranked 24th for its pastoral counseling program. Another more affordable option would be #20, [Nazarene Bible College](/colleges/nazarene-bible-college) in El Paso County, CO with a cost of $8,880 for in-state students and $8,880 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 College is an important investment for most people. It's important to lack doubt you boost your earning power. With that in mind, we hope the following earnings and career data help you in deciding your focus at college.

 Just after college, Pastoral Counseling majors earn $31,175 a year on average (bottom 24%). Further into their jobs, they can make up to $91,356 to as little as $20,002, but average roughly $42,965. To put it in context, that's 11% north of the nation wide average.

 The most common job placement for a Pastoral Counseling graduate is Customer Care Representative, which usually make near $24,000; next are Inside Sales Representative and Analyst, which predominantly earn around $26,000 and $54,000 respectively.

 The Plains has the highest earning Pastoral Counseling graduates. MN has the highest grossing Pastoral Counseling graduates of any state. Upper Midwest Athletic Conference has the highest grossing Pastoral Counseling graduates of any conference..



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Pastoral Counseling: Median Professor Rating: 4 / 5, which is below average.

 Instructors consistently play a pivotal role in your college experience, regardless of your focus. A thought-provoking instructor can provide inspiration and set a student up for future success. Contrarily, a bad professor can disenchant you from an entire field or even worse... flunk you!

 Pastoral Counseling professors have a median student rating of 4 / 5, putting these professors in the upper 58th percentile in the US based on student satisfaction. Suprisingly, this major is exactly the median for professor rating, which, in our opinion, is remarkably average! Pastoral Counseling professors barely edged-out those from ["Teaching English as a Second Language"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-teaching-english-as-a-second-language), whereas ["Manufacturing Engineering"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-manufacturing-engineering)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Pastoral Counseling.

 Now for some statistics about Pastoral Counseling professors. Colleges located in large suburbs tend to have the best Pastoral Counseling professors. The American Athletic Conference has the highest rated Pastoral Counseling professors. The Plains region has the highest rated Pastoral Counseling professors. Private universities tend to have higher rated Pastoral Counseling professors than public schools. Finally, Iowa has the highest rated Pastoral Counseling professors in the US.

 Cindy Bronson, instructor at [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus)&nbspin Columbus, OH is the most popular Pastoral Counseling professor in the US. Eric Brunskill, instructor at [Miami University-Hamilton](/colleges/miami-university-hamilton)&nbspin Hamilton, OH is the highest rated Pastoral Counseling professor in the US, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Learn which universities have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College often can be an immensely formative adventure in one's life; it's a time for individual growth and expansion. Pupils continue to realize what they can be and develop many of the imperative skills to be a thriving member of society. But growth is more than what one learns in a classroom - the campus dialogue, the life lesson gained from a tenured instructor, the exposure to a different approach. Therefore, finding a diverse college vastly enriches what you gain from your time at college.

 Pastoral Counseling is a less racially diverse focus than average\*. 72% of the nation's Pastoral Counseling majors are white students, followed by black students (13%), latino students (7%), and students of other races\*\*(6%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [Judson University](/colleges/judson-university)&nbspin Elgin, IL.

 Additionally, Pastoral Counseling is pretty highly diverse regarding gender, with 47% of students majoring in Pastoral Counseling identifying as women. [University of Northwestern-St Paul](/colleges/university-of-northwestern-st-paul) in Saint Paul, MN has the most gender balanced student body in the top 100.

 Another important type of diversity is socioeconomic diversity. Pastoral Counseling ranks in the top 26% of focuses for socioeconomic diversity. 29% of its students come from families with $110,000 plus annual incomes, 20% are from low income households, and 21% grew up in families bringing in between $75,000 and $110,000 a year. [Arizona Christian University](/colleges/arizona-christian-university) is the most financially diverse school in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall MA is the most diverse state for Pastoral Counseling. The New England is the most diverse region, and the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 3%
* Black: 13%
* Latino: 7%
* White: 72%
* Other: 6%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 53%
* Female: 47%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 20%
* 30k - 48k: 12%
* 48k - 75k: 18%
* 75k - 110k: 21%
* Over 110k: 29%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 45%
* Out of State: 53%
* International: 2%


Lipscomb University

John Brown University

Johnson University

Cedarville University

Liberty University

Moody Bible Institute

Ouachita Baptist University

Universal Technical Institute of Texas Inc.

University of Dallas

Oral Roberts University

Dordt University

Loyola University Chicago

Taylor University

Marian University

William Carey University

Martin Luther College

Spring Arbor University

The Master's University and Seminary

Vanguard University of Southern California

Howard Payne University

Belhaven University

MidAmerica Nazarene University

University of the Incarnate Word

Lancaster Bible College

Saint Elizabeth University

Search for the best Pastoral Counseling colleges according to your filter parameters.

2023 Pastoral Counseling Salary

There are about 9,920 students enrolled in Pastoral Counseling in the USA.

SALARY