---
title: Is a Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries degree worth the debt?
cip: 3907
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard — Field of Study (2026-06-10 release)
sourceId: src:doe:college-scorecard:field-of-study:2026-06-10
---

# Is a Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries degree worth the debt?

Leading with the **Bachelor's**, across **23** colleges (23 of 23 programs report earnings):

- **Median pay, 1 year after completion:** $26,666 ($28,019 at 2 years)
- **Median federal debt:** $24,750 (federal loans only)
- **Debt-to-earnings:** 0.92× a first year's pay
- **Across-college spread (middle 50%):** $24,356–$29,094 — the program you choose moves the number this much.


**How to read this:** these are MEDIANS across college programs, measured **1–2 years after completion** (early career, graduates only) — NOT lifetime earnings, and NOT comparable to a college's 10-years-after-entry figure. They cover **federally-aided completers at programs large enough to report**; small programs are suppressed. A field median is not a prediction of your outcome, not causal (who enters a field differs by field), and **not a "best majors" ranking** — earnings are one dimension of worth. Verify by field at the official College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/).

## By degree level

| Level | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt | Debt/pay | Colleges | Programs reporting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Associate's | $24,909 | $21,670 | 0.77× | 5 | 5/5 |
| Bachelor's | $26,666 | $24,750 | 0.92× | 23 | 23/23 |
| Master's | $38,376 | $44,884 | 1.33× | 14 | 14/14 |

## Where a Bachelor's in this field reports the highest early-career pay

Reflects who enrolls and where, not causal program quality.

| College | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Crown College (MN) | $32,524 | $24,750 |
| University of Valley Forge (PA) | $30,735 | — |
| Gordon College (MA) | $30,712 | — |
| University of Northwestern-St Paul (MN) | $30,460 | — |
| Eastern University (PA) | $29,279 | — |
| Moody Bible Institute (IL) | $29,204 | $12,180 |
| Grace Christian University (MI) | $28,984 | $30,956 |
| Lancaster Bible College (PA) | $27,628 | $22,250 |
| Cornerstone University (MI) | $27,609 | — |
| North Central University (MN) | $27,543 | $26,250 |
| Liberty University (VA) | $27,163 | $22,827 |
| Lee University (TN) | $26,666 | $25,875 |
| Regent University (VA) | $26,506 | $24,800 |
| Grace College and Theological Seminary (IN) | $26,348 | $23,375 |
| Life Pacific University (CA) | $25,871 | $21,012 |

RECORDED College Scorecard figures + one DERIVED ratio (debt-to-earnings). Informs and compares; not advice on what to major in. Each college's full record: `/education/<slug>`.

Structured data: `/education/fields/pastoral-counseling-and-specialized-ministries.jsonld` · `/education/fields/pastoral-counseling-and-specialized-ministries.json`