by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 83 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for theology & religious vocations students pursuing a doctor's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 2,356 doctor's degrees in theology & religious vocations during the 2020-2021 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The theology & religious vocations doctor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality theology & religious vocations program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking which itself looks at a combination of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their doctor's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their doctor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for theology & religious vocations students working on their doctor's degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor's Degree Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in theology & religious vocations. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Every student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in theology & religious vocations has to check out Fuller Theological Seminary. Fuller is a small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Pasadena.More information about a doctorate in theology & religious vocations from Fuller Theological Seminary
Any student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in theology & religious vocations needs to take a look at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Located in the large city of Kansas City, MBTS is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.More information about a doctorate in theology & religious vocations from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
The Master's University and Seminary is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a doctor's degree in theology & religious vocations. Located in the large suburb of Santa Clarita, The Master's University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a doctorate in theology & religious vocations from The Master’s University and Seminary
Duke University is a wonderful choice for students interested in a doctor's degree in theology & religious vocations. Duke is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Durham.More information about a doctorate in theology & religious vocations from Duke University
Notre Dame is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Notre Dame.More information about a doctorate in theology & religious vocations from University of Notre Dame
Emory is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Atlanta.More information about a doctorate in theology & religious vocations from Emory University
Located in the large city of Dallas, DTS Dallas is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.More information about a doctorate in theology & religious vocations from Dallas Theological Seminary
Biola is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of La Mirada.More information about a doctorate in theology & religious vocations from Biola University
GFU is a small private not-for-profit university located in the fringe town of Newberg.More information about a doctorate in theology & religious vocations from George Fox University
UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago.More information about a doctorate in theology & religious vocations from University of Chicago
Located in the suburb of Madison, Drew is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a doctorate in theology & religious vocations from Drew University
Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, Concordia Seminary is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.More information about a doctorate in theology & religious vocations from Concordia Seminary
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor's Degree Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Liberty University | Lynchburg, VA |
| 14 | Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA |
| 15 | Gordon - Conwell Theological Seminary | South Hamilton, MA |
| 16 | Sewanee - The University of the South | Sewanee, TN |
| 17 | Regent University | Virginia Beach, VA |
| 18 | Loyola University Chicago | Chicago, IL |
| 19 | Columbia International University | Columbia, SC |
| 20 | Southeastern University | Lakeland, FL |
View the Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Theological & Ministerial Studies | 1,586 |
| Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries | 254 |
| Theology & Religious Vocations (Other) | 230 |
| Missionary Studies | 104 |
| Religious Education | 81 |
| Biblical Studies | 73 |
| Sacred Music | 28 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Social Sciences | 3,487 |
| English Language & Literature | 1,092 |
| Foreign Languages & Linguistics | 1,000 |
| History | 721 |
| Philosophy & Religious Studies | 629 |
| Communication & Journalism | 533 |
| Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies | 342 |
| Family, Consumer & Human Sciences | 233 |
| Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities | 90 |
