2026 Best Lay Ministry Schools in the The Plains States Region
Lay Ministry degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for lay ministry students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Lay Ministry in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall lay ministry education in the The Plains States Region.
Top Schools in Lay Ministry
University Of St Thomas Minnesota is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in lay ministry. Located in the city of Saint Paul, University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit university. University Of St Thomas Minnesota graduates 77% of students within six years. There were roughly 15 lay ministry students who graduated with this degree at University Of St Thomas Minnesota in the most recent data year. Students who receive their lay ministry degree from University Of St Thomas Minnesota earn around $65,183 in the first couple years of their career. University Of St Thomas Minnesota graduates carry a median of $23,923 in student loans.
More information about a degree in lay ministry from University Of St Thomas Minnesota
Students looking for a strong lay ministry program will find one at North Central University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Minneapolis, North Central University is a small private not-for-profit institution. North Central University graduates 65% of students within six years. About 16 lay ministry degrees were awarded at North Central University in the most recent year. Lay Ministry graduates of North Central University earn a median of $27,370 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,750 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in lay ministry from North Central University
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 14 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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