2026 Best Value Pastoral Studies/Counseling Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Pastoral Studies/Counseling](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/pastoral-counseling-specialized-ministries/pastoral-studies-counseling/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong pastoral studies/counseling education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 31 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for pastoral studies/counseling students.
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2026 Best Value Pastoral Studies/Counseling Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in pastoral studies/counseling, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Pastoral Studies/Counseling Schools
For return on investment in pastoral studies/counseling, no school beat Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global this year. Set in the rural area of Marion, Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,648. Students borrow a median of $26,338 to complete the pastoral studies/counseling program here. Soon after graduation, pastoral studies/counseling degree recipients from Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global generally make around $37,004. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in pastoral studies/counseling will find it at Andrews University, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Berrien Springs, Andrews University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $35,056. Students borrow a median of $26,314 to complete the pastoral studies/counseling program here. Soon after graduation, pastoral studies/counseling degree recipients from Andrews University generally make around $57,865. That is a strong return on a $26,314 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Grace College And Theological Seminary earned it the #3 place for pastoral studies/counseling. Set in the town of Winona Lake, Grace College And Theological Seminary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $29,645. Typical student debt for pastoral studies/counseling graduates is $25,500. Soon after graduation, pastoral studies/counseling degree recipients from Grace College And Theological Seminary generally make around $34,513. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Grace College And Theological Seminary admits about 82% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Cornerstone University one of the best values for pastoral studies/counseling. Cornerstone University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Grand Rapids. Students from in state pay about $23,000 in tuition and fees. Pastoral Studies/counseling graduates carry a median of $29,243 in student loans. Soon after graduation, pastoral studies/counseling degree recipients from Cornerstone University generally make around $44,501. Set against $29,243 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
A rank of #5 makes Indiana Wesleyan University one of the best values for pastoral studies/counseling. Located in the town of Marion, Indiana Wesleyan University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $32,352. Pastoral Studies/counseling graduates carry a median of $24,221 in student loans. Early-career pastoral studies/counseling graduates make about $31,281. That is a strong return on a $24,221 median debt. Indiana Wesleyan University admits about 89% of applicants.
Taylor University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value pastoral studies/counseling schools. Set in the rural area of Upland, Taylor University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,490. Typical student debt for pastoral studies/counseling graduates is $21,832. Soon after graduation, pastoral studies/counseling degree recipients from Taylor University generally make around $37,035. That is a strong return on a $21,832 median debt. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Maranatha Baptist Bible College came in at #7 for value in pastoral studies/counseling this year. Located in the town of Watertown, Maranatha Baptist Bible College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $21,550. Soon after graduation, pastoral studies/counseling degree recipients from Maranatha Baptist Bible College generally make around $56,298. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Moody Bible Institute placed #8 among the best values for pastoral studies/counseling. Set in the city of Chicago, Moody Bible Institute is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,786. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the pastoral studies/counseling program here. Soon after graduation, pastoral studies/counseling degree recipients from Moody Bible Institute generally make around $35,426. That is a strong return on a $12,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 83%.
Valor Christian College landed the #9 spot for pastoral studies/counseling value this year. Located in the city of Canal Winchester, Valor Christian College is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $10,612 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $17,635 to complete the pastoral studies/counseling program here. Early-career pastoral studies/counseling graduates make about $29,571.
Loyola University Chicago came in at #10 for value in pastoral studies/counseling this year. Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,710. Pastoral Studies/counseling graduates carry a median of $23,521 in student loans. Early-career pastoral studies/counseling graduates make about $46,241. That is a strong return on a $23,521 median debt. Loyola University Chicago admits about 82% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 31 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- 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.
