2026 Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in Colorado

Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. 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 5 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Schools in Colorado

Best Schools for Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries in Colorado

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall pastoral counseling & specialized ministries education in Colorado.

Top Schools in Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries

1

Colorado Christian University
Lakewood, CO

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

34 Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Degrees Awarded

$47,333 Median Starting Salary

Colorado Christian University tops our 2026 ranking of the best pastoral counseling & specialized ministries schools. Set in the suburb of Lakewood, Colorado Christian University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 63%. There were roughly 34 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries students who graduated with this degree at Colorado Christian University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their pastoral counseling & specialized ministries degree from Colorado Christian University earn around $47,333 in the first couple years of their career. Colorado Christian University graduates carry a median of $36,092 in student loans. Read more about the pastoral counseling & specialized ministries program at Colorado Christian University

2

Naropa University
Boulder, CO

Associate's Degree Highest Degree Type

13 Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries Degrees Awarded

$27,750 Median Starting Salary

Naropa University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best pastoral counseling & specialized ministries schools. Set in the city of Boulder, Naropa University is a small private not-for-profit institution. Naropa University graduates 37% of students within six years. Naropa University awarded about 13 pastoral counseling & specialized ministries degrees in the most recent data year. Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries graduates of Naropa University earn a median of $27,750 early in their careers. Naropa University graduates carry a median of $33,250 in student loans. Read more about the pastoral counseling & specialized ministries program at Naropa University

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 · 5 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.