Deacon education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a deacon. Deacons usually study theology, business, or psychology. 52% of deacons hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 326 real deacon resumes to see exactly what deacon education sections show.

The most common colleges for deacons are the Liberty University and the Liberty University.

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

What education do you need to become a deacon?

What degree do you need to be a deacon?

The most common degree for deacons is bachelor's degree, with 52% of deacons earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 19% and master's degree degree at 13%.

Bachelor's, 52%

Master's, 19%

Associate, 13%

High School Diploma, 8%

Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a deacon?

You should major in theology to become a deacon. 18% of deacons major in theology. Other common majors for a deacon include business and psychology.

Theology, 18%

Business, 14%

Psychology, 7%

Communication, 5%

Other Majors, 56%

Most common colleges for deacons

Deacons often get their degrees at Liberty University, Western Michigan University, and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. Here are the most common colleges for deacons in the US based on their resumes.

Deacon common college	Percentages
Liberty University	8.33%
Western Michigan University	5.56%
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary	5.56%
Wake Forest University	5.56%
South University	5.56%

Show more common deacon colleges

Best majors for deacons

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Theology	18.2%
2	Business	13.9%
3	Psychology	7.3%
4	Communication	5.1%
5	Criminal Justice	5.1%

Show more common deacon majors

Best colleges for deacons

The best colleges for deacons are Northwestern University, Boston College, and Emory University.

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

1. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,306

Enrollment

6,975

2. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,464

Enrollment

9,639

3. Fordham University

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$52,687

Enrollment

9,392

4. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$38,178

Enrollment

6,008

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

7. Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$25,598

Enrollment

2,189

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

9. Oklahoma Baptist University

Shawnee, OK • Private

In-state tuition

$28,258

Enrollment

1,808

10. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

20 best online courses for deacons

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Top 10 most affordable universities for deacons

The most affordable schools for deacons are Baruch College of the City University of New York, luther rice college and seminary, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for deacons 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 deacons.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. Luther Rice College and Seminary

Lithonia, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,616

Cost of attendance

8,720

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

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 - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

8. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

9. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for deacons

The hardest universities for deacons to get into are Northwestern University, Boston College, and Emory University.

Some great schools for deacons 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 deacons 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

3. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

9. Fordham University

Bronx, NY • Private

Admissions rate

46%

SAT average

1,354

10. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

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

The easiest schools for deacons to get into are Barry University, nyack college, and notre dame de namur university.

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

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. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

4. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

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. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

8. Rochester University

Rochester Hills, MI • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,002

9. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

10. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

Average deacon salary by education level

According to our data, deacons with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $53,866 annually. Deacons with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $52,487.

Deacon education level	Deacon salary
Master's Degree	$52,487
Bachelor's Degree	$46,506
Doctorate Degree	$53,866

Deacon education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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