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Associate pastor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an associate pastor. Associate pastors usually study theology, pastoral counseling and specialized ministries, or biblical studies. 55% of associate pastors hold a bachelor's degree, and 29% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 5,992 real associate pastor resumes to see exactly what associate pastor education sections show.
The most common colleges for associate pastors are the Liberty University and the Liberty University.
There are also many online associate pastor courses to help get the education required to be an associate pastor.
There are certain associate pastor certifications that you should consider. These associate pastor certifications include Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and Pastoral Counseling Certification.
What education do you need to become an associate pastor?
What degree do you need to be an associate pastor?
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Master's, 29%
- Associate, 7%
- Doctorate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become an associate pastor?
- Theology, 36%
- Biblical Studies, 8%
- Business, 7%
- Other Majors, 41%
Most common colleges for associate pastors
| Associate pastor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Liberty University | 18.88% |
| Southern Baptist Theological Seminary | 8.42% |
| New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary | 7.64% |
| Princeton Theological Seminary | 6.55% |
| Moody Bible Institute | 5.30% |
Best majors for associate pastors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theology | 36.2% |
| 2 | Pastoral Counseling And Specialized Ministries | 7.9% |
| 3 | Biblical Studies | 7.9% |
| 4 | Business | 7.3% |
| 5 | Religion | 6.3% |
Best colleges for associate pastors
The best colleges for associate pastors are Boston College, Boston University, and Emory University.
An associate pastor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for associate pastors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become associate pastors.
1. North Park University
Chicago, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$29,860
Enrollment
1,967
2. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,306
Enrollment
6,975
3. Indiana Wesleyan University
Marion, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$26,630
Enrollment
2,647
4. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,464
Enrollment
9,639
5. Trevecca Nazarene University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$25,598
Enrollment
2,189
6. Lipscomb University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$32,144
Enrollment
2,914
7. William Jessup University
Rocklin, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$33,550
Enrollment
1,246
8. Faulkner University
Montgomery, AL • Private
In-state tuition
$21,690
Enrollment
2,079
9. Lincoln Christian University
Lincoln, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$13,200
Enrollment
398
10. Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$26,200
Enrollment
844
20 best online courses for associate pastors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for associate pastors
The most affordable schools for associate pastors are Luther Rice College and Seminary, baruch college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for associate pastors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for associate pastors.
1. Luther Rice College and Seminary
Lithonia, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,616
Cost of attendance
8,720
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
6. John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,270
Cost of attendance
14,177
7. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
8. Universidad Central de Bayamon
Bayamón, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$6,260
Cost of attendance
12,275
9. Southern University at New Orleans
New Orleans, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,033
Cost of attendance
12,702
10. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for associate pastors
The hardest universities for associate pastors to get into are Boston College, Boston University, and Emory University.
Some great schools for associate pastors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for associate pastors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
2. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
3. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
4. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
5. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,321
6. Fordham University
Bronx, NY • Private
Admissions rate
46%
SAT average
1,354
7. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
8. Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,287
9. Providence College
Providence, RI • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,294
10. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for associate pastors
The easiest schools for associate pastors to get into are Nyack College, oklahoma wesleyan university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an associate pastor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for associate pastors.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,002
5. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
6. Hardin-Simmons University
Abilene, TX • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,085
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
9. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
10. Lubbock Christian University
Lubbock, TX • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,094
Average associate pastor salary by education level
| Associate pastor education level | Associate pastor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $47,985 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $44,039 |
| Doctorate Degree | $48,876 |
Associate pastor education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025