Pastoral Counseling / Ministry degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in pastoral counseling / ministry earn a median $44,562 four years after finishing, across 28 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in theology and religious vocations earn $47,226, $14,823 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is clergy (18%).
Median across 28 colleges; middle half $38,298–$46,531.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $30,458–$63,242. 1,845 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Theology And Religious Vocations"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$11,588/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs pastoral counseling / ministry graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in theology and religious vocations actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clergy | 18% | $60,810 | +2.4% | Bachelor's degree | SE |
| Other Managers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 3% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Directors, Religious Activities And Education | 2% | $52,100 | +3.3% | Bachelor's degree | SE |
| Retail Salespersons | 2% | $35,410 | -0.3% | No formal educational credential | EC |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Retail Sales Workers | 2% | $48,520 | -3.7% | High school diploma or equivalent | ECS |
| Secondary School Teachers | 1% | $70,930 | -0.2% | — | — |
| Religious Workers, All Other | 1% | $45,280 | +1.5% | Bachelor's degree | — |
These 8 jobs account for 32% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Pastoral Counseling / Ministry earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | — | $50,116 (111) |
| Indiana | $44,733 (3) | — |
| Michigan | $38,298 (3) | — |
| Pennsylvania | $40,407 (3) | $41,336 (101) |
| Texas | — | $53,696 (150) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where pastoral counseling / ministry graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 4 in Florida, 3 in Virginia, 9 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Life Pacific UniversityCA | $52,477 | $24,083 |
| 2 | Regent UniversityVA | $49,799 | $35,500 |
| 3 | Trinity Baptist CollegeFL | $46,933 | — |
| 4 | Liberty UniversityVA | $46,531 | $23,750 |
| 5 | Southeastern UniversityFL | $30,430 | $26,000 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Pastoral Counseling / Ministry degree questions
How much do Pastoral Counseling / Ministry graduates make?
Pastoral Counseling / Ministry graduates earn a median $44,562 four years after finishing, across 28 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $38,298 to $46,531; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in theology and religious vocations, the median is $47,226 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Pastoral Counseling / Ministry degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in theology and religious vocations earn a median $47,226: $14,823 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $11,588 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Pastoral Counseling / Ministry graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in theology and religious vocations, the most common jobs are clergy (18%), other managers (3%), elementary and middle school teachers (3%). Clergy earn a U.S. median $60,810.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Pastoral Counseling / Ministry degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/pastoral-counseling-ministry.