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Deaconess education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a deaconess. Deaconesses usually study nursing, health sciences and services, or management. 45% of deaconesses hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 53 real deaconess resumes to see exactly what deaconess education sections show.

The most common colleges for deaconesses are the University of Southern Indiana and the University of Southern Indiana.

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

What education do you need to become a deaconess?

What degree do you need to be a deaconess?

The most common degree for deaconesses is bachelor's degree, with 45% of deaconesses earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 16%.
  • Bachelor's, 45%
  • Associate, 16%
  • Diploma, 16%
  • Master's, 13%
  • Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become a deaconess?

You should major in nursing to become a deaconess. 11% of deaconesses major in nursing. Other common majors for a deaconess include health sciences and services and management.

Most common colleges for deaconesses

Deaconesses often get their degrees at University of Southern Indiana, University of South Florida, and Marquette University. Here are the most common colleges for deaconesses in the US based on their resumes.
Deaconess common collegePercentages
University of Southern Indiana20.00%
University of South Florida10.00%
Marquette University5.00%
Concordia Seminary5.00%
Albertus Magnus College5.00%

Best majors for deaconesses

Best colleges for deaconesses

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

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

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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$38,178

Enrollment

6,008

10. Eastern University

Saint Davids, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$32,947

Enrollment

1,844

20 best online courses for deaconesses

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2. The Critical Role of IT Support Staff in Healthcare

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5. Trauma Emergencies and Care

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Top 10 most affordable universities for deaconesses

The most affordable schools for deaconesses are SUNY Farmingdale, baruch college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for deaconesses 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 deaconesses.

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. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

6. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

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. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for deaconesses

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

Some great schools for deaconesses 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 deaconesses 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. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

7. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,443

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 deaconesses

The easiest schools for deaconesses 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 deaconess 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 deaconesses.

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. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

7. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

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. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

Average deaconess salary by education level

According to our data, deaconesses with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $48,351 annually. Deaconesses with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $47,307.
Deaconess education levelDeaconess salary
Master's Degree$47,307
Bachelor's Degree$42,727
Doctorate Degree$48,351

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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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