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DOCTORAL DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 3907

Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries: is this doctoral degree worth it?

National picture across 1 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$84,791 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.

$84,791Median year-4 earnings

$31,679Average 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

$84,791Median reported earnings · year 4

$93,548Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

27thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

1Reporting programs

1With 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

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $40,520
Federal debt: $24,060
Reporting programs: 5

5 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $44,603
Federal debt: $26,750
Reporting programs: 31

29 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $53,123
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 11

11 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $84,791
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$84,791National median$84,79175th percentile$84,791

1 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1George Fox University$84,791

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.

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

BEST COLLEGES FOR PASTORAL COUNSELING AND SPECIALIZED MINISTRIES

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	George Fox UniversityDoctoral Degree	Newberg, OR	$84,791	Not available	Baseline needed	$31,679

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.