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Bishop education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a bishop. Bishops usually study theology, business, or psychology. 52% of bishops hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 206 real bishop resumes to see exactly what bishop education sections show.

The most common colleges for bishops are the New York University and the New York University.

There are also many online bishop courses to help get the education required to be a bishop.

What education do you need to become a bishop?

What degree do you need to be a bishop?

The most common degree for bishops is bachelor's degree, with 52% of bishops earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 17% and associate degree degree at 11%.
  • Bachelor's, 52%
  • Associate, 17%
  • Master's, 11%
  • High School Diploma, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 14%

What should I major in to become a bishop?

You should major in theology to become a bishop. 12% of bishops major in theology. Other common majors for a bishop include business and psychology.

Most common colleges for bishops

Bishops often get their degrees at New York University, Liberty University, and Roberts Wesleyan College. Here are the most common colleges for bishops in the US based on their resumes.
Bishop common collegePercentages
New York University8.70%
Liberty University8.70%
Roberts Wesleyan College8.70%
Syracuse University4.35%
Southern Connecticut State University4.35%

Best majors for bishops

RankMajorPercentages
1Theology12.3%
2Business11.0%
3Psychology6.8%
4Communication6.8%
5Political Science6.8%

Best colleges for bishops

The best colleges for bishops are University of Pennsylvania, Emory University, and Boston College.

A bishop with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for bishops. 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 bishops.

1. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,306

Enrollment

6,975

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,464

Enrollment

9,639

4. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$38,178

Enrollment

6,008

5. Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$25,598

Enrollment

2,189

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

8. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

9. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

10. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

20 best online courses for bishops

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1. Mediation and Conflict Resolution

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5. Conflict Management

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Master the fundamentals of conflict resolution, harness the power of positive conflict, and hone your intercultural communication skills. In this Specialization, you’ll learn to strengthen your personal and professional relationships by constructively addressing conflicts between individuals and within organizations. You’ll build skills specifically aimed at managing intercultural conflicts in today’s global society, and you’ll explore how competing interests and goals, power imbalances, and...

6. Conflict Resolution for Co-Workers

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7. Conflict Resolution in Leadership and Talent Management

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Conflict management: effective techniques to better manage conflicts, negotiate, influence and solve problems...

17. ASL First 500+ Basic Signs American Sign Language

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19. Learn & Master Sign Language

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American Sign Language...

20. Managing conflict with skill and confidence

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Understanding conflict and resolving disagreements with confidence at work and in life...

Top 10 most affordable universities for bishops

The most affordable schools for bishops are SUNY Farmingdale, baruch college of the city university of new york, and university of florida.

If the best universities for bishops 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 bishops.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

8. Luther Rice College and Seminary

Lithonia, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,616

Cost of attendance

8,720

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

10. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for bishops

The hardest universities for bishops to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Emory University, and Boston College.

Some great schools for bishops 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 bishops 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

2. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

3. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

10. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for bishops

The easiest schools for bishops to get into are Barry University, nyack college, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a bishop 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 bishops.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

7. Rochester University

Rochester Hills, MI • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,002

8. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

9. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

10. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

Average bishop salary by education level

According to our data, bishops with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $36,225 annually. Bishops with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $35,730.
Bishop education levelBishop salary
Master's Degree$35,730
Bachelor's Degree$33,510
Doctorate Degree$36,225

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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