Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries
Theology & Religious Vocations
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,051 | $37,035 to $46,531 | 33 | 85% |
| Master's Degree | $48,260 | $44,545 to $56,339 | 16 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +3% (2025 to 2035), about 62,000 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clergy | $60,810 | +2.4% | 19,200 |
| Directors, Religious Activities and Education | $52,100 | +3.3% | 13,000 |
| Religious Workers, All Other | $45,280 | +1.5% | 12,100 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $56,730 | +5.5% | 11,600 |
| Counselors, All Other | $50,860 | +5.9% | 4,300 |
| Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,260 | +2% | 1,800 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a pastoral counseling and specialized ministries program, of 215 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- Redeemers University North America
- Liberty University
- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
- Westminster Theological Seminary
- Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
- The Master's University and Seminary
- University of St Thomas
- Ozark Christian College
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.