Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries
What graduates really earn, where the degree pays off most, and whether the numbers add up for you.
Earnings Range (4 Years After Graduation)
Best Schools for Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries by Earnings
School-by-school analysis: Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries
Editorial breakdowns of how pastoral counseling and specialized ministries graduates fare at the top-earning programs in our dataset.
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries is the school's only reported program, with year-four earnings of $55,360 (one-year and debt figures not reported, and graduate count is zero in the most recent cohort window, suggesting very small program volume). The four-year earnings number is notably higher than the school-wide median, which likely reflects graduates moving into established pastoral or chaplaincy positions rather than recent grads. Sample size is small enough that this number should be treated as indicative rather than reliable.
This is the largest tracked program with 32 graduates. Year-one earnings of $37,436 and four-year earnings of $52,477 reflect ministry-sector wages. Median debt of $24,083 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.643 earn a C grade - the strongest on campus. For students committed to ministry, this program provides the most financially reasonable pathway Life Pacific offers.
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries graduates earn $33,407 at one year and $49,799 at four years against $35,500 of debt - a 1.06 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F grade. With 44 graduates per year this is a sizeable mission-aligned cohort; the F grade reflects both moderately low ministry compensation and a high relative debt load. PSLF eligibility for those serving in qualifying nonprofits is the most important financial factor.
Pastoral counseling reports $46,933 in four-year median earnings - the highest reported figure on campus - though debt data and graduate count are not disclosed. The earnings suggest some graduates move into licensed counseling roles that require additional credentialing. For students committed to ministry counseling, this may represent the strongest available program-level financial pathway.
Pastoral Counseling is a high-enrollment program (60 graduates) and the financial data is straightforward: $35,189 year-one, $45,844 at year four, D ROI grade, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.817 with $28,750 median debt. Ministry career trajectories in the Pentecostal tradition do not produce high wages by Scorecard metrics. Students choosing this path knowingly accept lower financial returns in exchange for mission-aligned work. That is a valid choice but one that deserves honest acknowledgment in the context of $29,000 in debt.
Is Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries Worth It?
Proceed With a Plan
Be honest with yourself about the money on Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries. At an average $36,366 four years out, the payback can be long, especially at a pricey school. That doesn't make the field a mistake - it means the cost side has to be managed tightly, so lean toward low debt.
This is a more specialized field, offered at 32 schools in our data. Fewer options means less room to optimize on cost, so weigh each aid offer closely.
The top earner here is Boise Bible College, where graduates pull $55,360 four years out. But an average hides a wide spread - where you go, and what you do with the degree, matter as much as the major itself.
Earnings data represents median earnings 4 years after graduation for graduates of bachelor's programs, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Individual outcomes vary significantly based on career path, location, and other factors.