Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 31 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$275,449 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
—Modeled economic break-even
−101%Modeled 10-year ROI
$44,603Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$44,603Median reported earnings · year 4
$40,035Average reported earnings · year 5
$26,750Median federal debt
9thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
31Reporting programs
29With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $40,520
- Federal debt
- $24,060
- Reporting programs
- 5
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $44,603
- Federal debt
- $26,750
- Reporting programs
- 31
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $53,123
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 11
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $84,791
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$38,298National median$44,60375th percentile$46,933
29 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Boise Bible College$55,3602Life Pacific University$52,4773Gordon College$52,1734Nazarene Bible College$49,8995Regent University$49,7996Dallas Baptist University$49,4087Cairn University-Langhorne$47,8058Trinity College of Jacksonville$46,9339Liberty University$46,53110Lee University$45,844Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Directors, Religious Activities and EducationSOC 21-2021 · 7 crosswalk linksReligious Workers, All OtherSOC 21-2099 · 6 crosswalk linksClergySOC 21-2011 · 3 crosswalk linksPhilosophy and Religion Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1126 · 3 crosswalk linksCommunity and Social Service Specialists, All OtherSOC 21-1099 · 2 crosswalk linksCounselors, All OtherSOC 21-1019 · 2 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boise Bible CollegeBachelor's Degree | Boise, ID | $55,360 | Not available | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 2 | Life Pacific UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Dimas, CA | $52,477 | $24,083 | -72% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Gordon CollegeBachelor's Degree | Wenham, MA | $52,173 | Not available | -74% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Nazarene Bible CollegeBachelor's Degree | Colorado Springs, CO | $49,899 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 5 | Regent UniversityBachelor's Degree | Virginia Beach, VA | $49,799 | $35,500 | -82% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Dallas Baptist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Dallas, TX | $49,408 | Not available | -85% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Cairn University-LanghorneBachelor's Degree | Langhorne, PA | $47,805 | Not available | -90% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Trinity College of JacksonvilleBachelor's Degree | Jacksonville, FL | $46,933 | Not available | -93% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Liberty UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lynchburg, VA | $46,531 | $23,750 | -95% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Lee UniversityBachelor's Degree | Cleveland, TN | $45,844 | $28,750 | -97% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Indiana Wesleyan University-MarionBachelor's Degree | Marion, IN | $45,693 | $22,104 | -97% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Grace Christian UniversityBachelor's Degree | Wyoming, MI | $45,288 | $38,453 | -99% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Evangel UniversityBachelor's Degree | Springfield, MO | $44,988 | $27,000 | -100% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Grace College and Theological SeminaryBachelor's Degree | Winona Lake, IN | $44,733 | $25,500 | -101% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | George Fox UniversityBachelor's Degree | Newberg, OR | $44,603 | Not available | -101% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Moody Bible InstituteBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $44,522 | $12,000 | -102% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Central Christian College of the BibleBachelor's Degree | Moberly, MO | $42,051 | $26,000 | -112% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | North Central UniversityBachelor's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $41,979 | $26,750 | -111% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | University of Valley ForgeBachelor's Degree | Phoenixville, PA | $40,407 | Not available | -115% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Nelson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Waxahachie, TX | $39,707 | $26,750 | -120% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Lancaster Bible CollegeBachelor's Degree | Lancaster, PA | $38,779 | $22,584 | -122% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Cornerstone UniversityBachelor's Degree | Grand Rapids, MI | $38,298 | Not available | -126% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | Bethel UniversityBachelor's Degree | Mishawaka, IN | $37,149 | $23,319 | -131% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Spring Arbor UniversityBachelor's Degree | Spring Arbor, MI | $36,814 | Not available | -132% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Maranatha Baptist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Watertown, WI | $36,728 | Not available | -129% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Oral Roberts UniversityBachelor's Degree | Tulsa, OK | $36,493 | $37,000 | -130% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | John Brown UniversityBachelor's Degree | Siloam Springs, AR | $35,601 | Not available | -136% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Crown CollegeBachelor's Degree | Saint Bonifacius, MN | $32,718 | $27,000 | -143% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Southeastern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lakeland, FL | $30,430 | $26,000 | -147% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Johnson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Knoxville, TN | Not available | $26,750 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $22,063 |
| 31 | Johnson University FloridaBachelor's Degree | , | Not available | $26,750 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.