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Best Schools for Pastoral Studies/Counseling in the United States
Below are the best pastoral studies/counseling schools at the associate’s degree level, ranked by the quality of the education they deliver.
Top Schools in Pastoral Studies/Counseling
Maranatha Baptist Bible College is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in pastoral studies/counseling. Located in the town of Watertown, Maranatha Baptist Bible College is a small private not-for-profit university. Roughly 64% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 26 pastoral studies/counseling degrees were awarded at Maranatha Baptist Bible College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, pastoral studies/counseling degree recipients from Maranatha Baptist Bible College generally make around $56,298.
See the full pastoral studies/counseling program report for Maranatha Baptist Bible College
Ozark Christian College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in pastoral studies/counseling, landing the #2 spot this year. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Joplin. About 58% of students finish within six years. About 15 pastoral studies/counseling degrees were awarded at Ozark Christian College in the most recent year. Students who receive their pastoral studies/counseling degree from Ozark Christian College earn around $26,422 in the first couple years of their career. Ozark Christian College graduates carry a median of $23,500 in student loans.
More information about a degree in pastoral studies/counseling from Ozark Christian College
A rank of #3 makes Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global one of the top schools for pastoral studies/counseling. Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global is a large private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Marion. About 11 pastoral studies/counseling degrees were awarded at Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global in the most recent year. Students who receive their pastoral studies/counseling degree from Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global earn around $35,736 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,338.
More information about a degree in pastoral studies/counseling from Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global
Valor Christian College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in pastoral studies/counseling, landing the #4 spot this year. Valor Christian College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Canal Winchester. There were roughly 29 pastoral studies/counseling students who graduated with this degree at Valor Christian College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the pastoral studies/counseling program make about $29,571 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $17,635 to complete this degree.
See the full pastoral studies/counseling program report for Valor Christian College
Other Pastoral Studies/Counseling Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare Pastoral Studies/Counseling rankings across degree levels:
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 · 148 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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