Theological & Ministerial Studies

Types of Degrees Theological & Ministerial Studies Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many theological and ministerial studies graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	11,230
Doctor’s Degree	1,464
Graduate Certificate	861

What Theological & Ministerial Studies Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to theology and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Theology Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Philosophy and Theology - Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
• Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

Skills for Theology Majors

A major in theology prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Theology Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a theology student include the following:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

What Can You Do With a Theological & Ministerial Studies Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with theology:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Clergy	8.2%	$48,990
Philosophy and Religion Professors	12.3%	$71,890
Religious Workers	7.7%	$29,820

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Theological & Ministerial Studies?

This is one of the most frequently chosen graduate majors. It is the 20th most popular in the country with 11,173 students graduating with a master’s in theology in 2019. This major tends to be male dominated. About 70% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of theology majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	495
Black or African American	1,557
Hispanic or Latino	703
White	6,643
International Students	795
Other Races/Ethnicities	1,037

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Theology, too. About 7.1% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• South Korea
• Canada
• China
• India
• Vietnam

How Much Do Theological & Ministerial Studies Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The median early-career salary of theological and ministerial studies students with a master’s degree is $40,750 a year according to 2017-2018 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $33,125 (25th percentile) and $47,475 (75th percentile).

One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to theology.

Salaries According to BLS

Theology majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $35,860 to $82,420 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Theological & Ministerial Studies

Some careers associated with theology require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for theology careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	0.5%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	0.1%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	0.1%
Bachelor’s Degree	12.0%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	4.0%
Master’s Degree	40.5%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.4%
Doctoral Degree	36.8%
Post-Doctoral Training	6.2%

Online Theological & Ministerial Studies Programs

In 2018-2019, 578 schools offered a theology program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	22	10
Certificate (1-2 years)	32	10
Certificate (2-4 Years)	7	3
Associate’s Degree	98	29
Bachelor’s Degree	90	38
Post-Baccalaureate	22	10
Master’s Degree	580	183
Post-Master’s	35	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	91	15
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	61	7
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	38	10

Is a Degree in Theological & Ministerial Studies Worth It?

The median salary for a theology grad is $53,290 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 34% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $267,800 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Theological & Ministerial Studies

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to theology.

Major	Number of Grads
Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries	1,466
Theology & Religious Vocations (Other)	943
Biblical Studies	832
Religious Education	608
Missionary Studies	451
Sacred Music	136

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Jonund under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.