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Best Schools for Lay Ministry in the United States
Below are the best lay ministry schools at the master’s degree level, ranked by the quality of the education they deliver.
Top Schools in Lay Ministry
University Of St Thomas Minnesota tops our 2026 ranking of the best lay ministry schools. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Saint Paul. About 77% of students finish within six years. About 15 lay ministry degrees were awarded at University Of St Thomas Minnesota in the most recent year. Lay Ministry graduates of University Of St Thomas Minnesota earn a median of $65,183 early in their careers. University Of St Thomas Minnesota graduates carry a median of $23,923 in student loans.
Read more about the lay ministry program at University Of St Thomas Minnesota
Students looking for a strong lay ministry program will find one at The Masters College And Seminary, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Santa Clarita, The Masters College And Seminary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The Masters College And Seminary graduates 67% of students within six years. About 37 lay ministry degrees were awarded at The Masters College And Seminary in the most recent year. Graduates of the lay ministry program make about $46,541 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,089.
More information about a degree in lay ministry from The Masters College And Seminary
Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best lay ministry schools. Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of South Hamilton. Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary awarded about 91 lay ministry degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their lay ministry degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary earn around $41,332 in the first couple years of their career.
See the full lay ministry program report for Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary
Other Lay Ministry Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare Lay Ministry rankings across degree levels:
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 72 schools evaluated.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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