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Hospice chaplain education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a hospice chaplain. Hospice chaplains usually study theology, pastoral counseling and specialized ministries, or business. 42% of hospice chaplains hold a master's degree, and 42% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 851 real hospice chaplain resumes to see exactly what hospice chaplain education sections show.
The most common colleges for hospice chaplains are the Liberty University and the Liberty University.
There are also many online hospice chaplain courses to help get the education required to be a hospice chaplain.
There are certain hospice chaplain certifications that you should consider. These hospice chaplain certifications include Certified Chaplain and Certified Master Chaplain (CMC).
What education do you need to become a hospice chaplain?
What degree do you need to be a hospice chaplain?
- Master's, 42%
- Bachelor's, 42%
- Doctorate, 7%
- Associate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a hospice chaplain?
- Theology, 43%
- Business, 6%
- Psychology, 6%
- Other Majors, 37%
Most common colleges for hospice chaplains
| Hospice chaplain common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Liberty University | 11.11% |
| University of Phoenix | 6.67% |
| Southern Baptist Theological Seminary | 6.67% |
| Fuller Theological Seminary | 6.67% |
| Emory University | 5.56% |
Best majors for hospice chaplains
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theology | 42.9% |
| 2 | Pastoral Counseling And Specialized Ministries | 7.7% |
| 3 | Business | 5.8% |
| 4 | Psychology | 5.6% |
| 5 | Religion | 5.2% |
Best colleges for hospice chaplains
The best colleges for hospice chaplains are Boston College, Emory University, and Fordham University.
A hospice chaplain with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for hospice chaplains. 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 hospice chaplains.
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. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$48,522
Enrollment
6,557
4. North Park University
Chicago, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$29,860
Enrollment
1,967
5. Brescia University
Owensboro, KY • Private
In-state tuition
$22,100
Enrollment
918
6. Saint Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$31,830
Enrollment
986
7. Fordham University
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$52,687
Enrollment
9,392
8. Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$38,178
Enrollment
6,008
9. Southeastern University
Lakeland, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$25,870
Enrollment
5,570
10. Gardner-Webb University
Boiling Springs, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$32,000
Enrollment
2,010
20 best online courses for hospice chaplains
Advertising disclosure
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Top 10 most affordable universities for hospice chaplains
The most affordable schools for hospice chaplains are Luther Rice College and Seminary, baruch college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for hospice chaplains 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 hospice chaplains.
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. Southern University at New Orleans
New Orleans, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,033
Cost of attendance
12,702
9. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Metropolitan Campus
San Juan, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$8,688
Cost of attendance
17,502
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for hospice chaplains
The hardest universities for hospice chaplains to get into are Boston College, Emory University, and Fordham University.
Some great schools for hospice chaplains 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 hospice chaplains 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. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
3. Fordham University
Bronx, NY • Private
Admissions rate
46%
SAT average
1,354
4. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,321
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
7. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,304
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for hospice chaplains
The easiest schools for hospice chaplains to get into are Nyack College, barry university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a hospice chaplain 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 hospice chaplains.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
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. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
6. Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,002
7. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
8. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
9. Hardin-Simmons University
Abilene, TX • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,085
10. University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,062
Average hospice chaplain salary by education level
| Hospice chaplain education level | Hospice chaplain salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $53,884 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,026 |
| Doctorate Degree | $54,748 |
Hospice chaplain education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025