UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a undergraduate certificate or diploma in Theological and Ministerial Studies worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 2 college programs with reportable data.
Personal baseline needed
$29,038 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.
$29,038Median year-4 earnings
$26,010Average institution net-price context
$18,054Median federal debt
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
Outcomes at a glance
$29,038Typical earnings four years after completion
$15,965Average earnings five years after completion
$18,054Typical federal student debt
7thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
6Degrees awarded in 2024–25
2College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 1 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Theological and Ministerial Studies
How much do Theological and Ministerial Studies undergraduate certificate or diploma graduates earn?
The national median is $29,038 four years after completion across reportable undergraduate certificate or diploma programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $18,054. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Theological and Ministerial Studies?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $20,994 to $20,994 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Theological and Ministerial Studies?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 3 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
CURRENT VIEW
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $29,038
- Federal debt
- $18,054
- Programs in the comparison
- 2
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $45,166
- Federal debt
- $18,938
- Programs in the comparison
- 3
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $47,518
- Federal debt
- $25,838
- Programs in the comparison
- 38
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $60,457
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 100
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $73,457
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 14
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,549
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 11
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $55,739
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 1
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$20,994National median$29,03875th percentile$20,994
2 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
2 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 2 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Hope International University$37,0812Associated Beth Rivkah Schools$20,994Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary$80,260 median wage20,460 jobs nationwide+2.0% projected growth through 2035 · 1,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$49,140–$139,580 typical wage rangeClergy$60,810 median wage57,200 jobs nationwide+2.4% projected growth through 2035 · 19,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$37,860–$98,890 typical wage rangeReligious Workers, All Other$45,280 median wage15,760 jobs nationwide+1.5% projected growth through 2035 · 12,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$31,200–$93,900 typical wage range
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
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.