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FIRST PROFESSIONAL DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 3906

Theological and Ministerial Studies: is this first professional degree worth it?

National picture across 11 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$63,549 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$63,549Median year-4 earnings

$20,714Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$63,549Median reported earnings · year 4

$60,881Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

14thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

11Reporting programs

11With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

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

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $29,038
Federal debt: $18,054
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $45,166
Federal debt: $18,938
Reporting programs: 3

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $47,518
Federal debt: $25,838
Reporting programs: 38

26 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $60,457
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 100

100 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $73,457
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 14

14 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings: $63,549
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 11

11 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $55,739
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

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$51,836National median$63,54975th percentile$65,938

11 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Emory University$97,227 2United Lutheran Seminary$84,401 3Andrews University$67,739 4Boston University$65,938 5Pittsburgh Theological Seminary$65,713 6Harvard University$63,549 7Oral Roberts University$58,196 8Pentecostal Theological Seminary$53,286 9Virginia Union University$51,836 10Columbia International University$48,301

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

ClergySOC 21-2011 · 5 crosswalk linksPhilosophy and Religion Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1126 · 5 crosswalk linksReligious Workers, All OtherSOC 21-2099 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR THEOLOGICAL AND MINISTERIAL STUDIES

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Emory UniversityFirst Professional Degree	Atlanta, GA	$97,227	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,585
2	United Lutheran SeminaryFirst Professional Degree	Gettysburg, PA	$84,401	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
3	Andrews UniversityFirst Professional Degree	Berrien Springs, MI	$67,739	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,547
4	Boston UniversityFirst Professional Degree	Boston, MA	$65,938	Not available	Baseline needed	$24,402
5	Pittsburgh Theological SeminaryFirst Professional Degree	Pittsburgh, PA	$65,713	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
6	Harvard UniversityFirst Professional Degree	Cambridge, MA	$63,549	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,066
7	Oral Roberts UniversityFirst Professional Degree	Tulsa, OK	$58,196	Not available	Baseline needed	$25,365
8	Pentecostal Theological SeminaryFirst Professional Degree	Cleveland, TN	$53,286	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
9	Virginia Union UniversityFirst Professional Degree	Richmond, VA	$51,836	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,235
10	Columbia International UniversityFirst Professional Degree	Columbia, SC	$48,301	Not available	Baseline needed	$26,036
11	Grand Canyon UniversityFirst Professional Degree	Phoenix, AZ	$46,690	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,472

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.