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Pastor Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a pastor. Pastors usually study theology, pastoral counseling and specialized ministries, or business. 51% of pastors hold a bachelor's degree, and 31% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 13,272 real pastor resumes to see exactly what pastor education sections show.
The most common colleges for pastors are the Liberty University and the Liberty University.
There are also many online pastor courses to help get the education required to be a pastor.
There are certain pastor certifications that you should consider. These pastor certifications include Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and Pastoral Counseling Certification.
What education do you need to become a pastor?
What degree do you need to be a pastor?
- Bachelor's, 51%
- Master's, 31%
- Associate, 8%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a pastor?
- Theology, 38%
- Business, 8%
- Biblical Studies, 7%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for pastors
Pastor Common College  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Liberty University | 22.11% |
| New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary | 7.65% |
| Princeton Theological Seminary | 7.65% |
| Southern Baptist Theological Seminary | 5.78% |
| Central State University | 5.13% |
Best majors for pastors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theology | 38.0% |
| 2 | Pastoral Counseling And Specialized Ministries | 8.7% |
| 3 | Business | 7.8% |
| 4 | Biblical Studies | 7.5% |
| 5 | Religion | 6.8% |
Best colleges for pastors
The best colleges for pastors are Boston College, Emory University, and Fordham University.
A pastor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for pastors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become pastors.
1. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,306
Enrollment
6,975
2. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,464
Enrollment
9,639
3. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$48,522
Enrollment
6,557
4. North Park University
Chicago, IL • Private
In-State Tuition
$29,860
Enrollment
1,967
5. Brescia University
Owensboro, KY • Private
In-State Tuition
$22,100
Enrollment
918
20 best online courses for pastors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for pastors
The most affordable schools for pastors are Luther Rice College and Seminary, baruch college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for pastors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for pastors.
1. Luther Rice College and Seminary
Lithonia, GA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,616
Cost of Attendance
8,720
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,262
Cost of Attendance
14,046
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,620
Cost of Attendance
18,136
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,240
Cost of Attendance
13,991
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,182
Cost of Attendance
13,998
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for pastors
The hardest universities for pastors to get into are Boston College, Emory University, and Fordham University.
Some great schools for pastors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for pastors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
28%
SAT Average
1,429
2. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions Rate
19%
SAT Average
1,449
3. Fordham University
Bronx, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
46%
SAT Average
1,354
4. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
47%
SAT Average
1,321
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
22%
SAT Average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for pastors
The easiest schools for pastors to get into are Nyack College, barry university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a pastor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for pastors.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
98%
SAT Average
999
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions Rate
91%
SAT Average
1,006
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions Rate
68%
SAT Average
964
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
994
5. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions Rate
78%
SAT Average
1,024
Average pastor salary by education level
| Pastor education level | Pastor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $46,320 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,131 |
| Doctorate Degree | $47,033 |
Pastor Education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025