DEBUG: Raw major_slug = ""
DEBUG: Initial offers_url = "https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/pastoral-counseling-specialized-ministries/youth-ministry/offers.json", major_slug = ""
DEBUG: After cleaning major_slug = ""
DEBUG: Before URL cleaning = "https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/pastoral-counseling-specialized-ministries/youth-ministry/offers.json"
DEBUG: After TrimSuffix = "https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/pastoral-counseling-specialized-ministries/youth-ministry/offers.json"
DEBUG: After HTTPS placeholder = "HTTPS_TEMP_PLACEHOLDERwww.collegefactual.com/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/pastoral-counseling-specialized-ministries/youth-ministry/offers.json"
DEBUG: After slash cleaning = "HTTPS_TEMP_PLACEHOLDERwww.collegefactual.com/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/pastoral-counseling-specialized-ministries/youth-ministry/offers.json"
DEBUG: After URL cleaning = "https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/pastoral-counseling-specialized-ministries/youth-ministry/offers.json"
DEBUG: offers_url = https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/pastoral-counseling-specialized-ministries/youth-ministry/offers.json
DEBUG: major_slug = ""
DEBUG: offers_url is valid, proceeding to fetch data
DEBUG: offers_data.offers found, count = 3
DEBUG: Specific major detected (cip4 = 39.07), keeping min_relevance at 0.8
DEBUG: Starting relevance filtering - min_relevance = 0.8, max_relevance = 1
DEBUG: Checking offer "Grad Cert - Child Counseling (I Have a Bachelors)" with relevance 0.6
DEBUG: ✗ Offer "Grad Cert - Child Counseling (I Have a Bachelors)" REJECTED (relevance 0.6)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Child Psychology (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" with relevance 0.5
DEBUG: ✗ Offer "Child Psychology (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" REJECTED (relevance 0.5)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Child Psychology (I Have a Bachelors)" with relevance 0.5
DEBUG: ✗ Offer "Child Psychology (I Have a Bachelors)" REJECTED (relevance 0.5)
DEBUG: relevant_offers count = 0
DEBUG: No relevant offers, showing generic ESYOH widget
Best Schools for Youth Ministry in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall youth ministry education in the The Plains States Region.
Top Schools in Youth Ministry
Our analysis ranked Ozark Christian College the best school in the country for a degree in youth ministry. Ozark Christian College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Joplin. Roughly 58% of students complete a degree within six years here. Ozark Christian College awarded about 15 youth ministry degrees in the most recent data year. Youth Ministry graduates of Ozark Christian College earn a median of $26,422 early in their careers. Ozark Christian College graduates carry a median of $23,500 in student loans.
Get the full youth ministry details for Ozark Christian College
Crown College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best youth ministry schools. Located in the rural area of Saint Bonifacius, Crown College is a small private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 44%. There were roughly 10 youth ministry students who graduated with this degree at Crown College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their youth ministry degree from Crown College earn around $26,538 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in youth ministry from Crown College
Narrow Youth Ministry Schools by State
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 16 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.
ADBLOCK #116
