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Hospital chaplain education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a hospital chaplain. Hospital chaplains usually study theology, pastoral counseling and specialized ministries, or business. 47% of hospital chaplains hold a bachelor's degree, and 39% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 475 real hospital chaplain resumes to see exactly what hospital chaplain education sections show.
The most common colleges for hospital chaplains are the Southern Methodist University and the Southern Methodist University.
There are also many online hospital chaplain courses to help get the education required to be a hospital chaplain.
There are certain hospital chaplain certifications that you should consider. These hospital chaplain certifications include Certified Chaplain and Certified Master Chaplain (CMC).
What education do you need to become a hospital chaplain?
What degree do you need to be a hospital chaplain?
- Bachelor's, 47%
- Master's, 39%
- Doctorate, 5%
- Associate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a hospital chaplain?
Most common colleges for hospital chaplains
| Hospital chaplain common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Southern Methodist University | 7.35% |
| Moody Bible Institute | 7.35% |
| New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary | 7.35% |
| Princeton Theological Seminary | 7.35% |
| Chicago Theological Seminary | 5.88% |
Best majors for hospital chaplains
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theology | 41.2% |
| 2 | Pastoral Counseling And Specialized Ministries | 7.7% |
| 3 | Business | 4.8% |
| 4 | Religion | 4.5% |
| 5 | Psychology | 4.2% |
Best colleges for hospital chaplains
The best colleges for hospital chaplains are Boston College, Boston University, and Emory University.
A hospital 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 hospital 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 hospital chaplains.
1. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,464
Enrollment
9,639
2. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
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. Saint Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$31,830
Enrollment
986
6. Fordham University
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$52,687
Enrollment
9,392
7. Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$38,178
Enrollment
6,008
8. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,306
Enrollment
6,975
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 hospital chaplains
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13. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...
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15. Crisis Intervention Seminar
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18. Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation
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Top 10 most affordable universities for hospital chaplains
The most affordable schools for hospital chaplains are Baruch College of the City University of New York, luther rice college and seminary, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for hospital 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 hospital chaplains.
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. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
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. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
7. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
8. 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
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 hospital chaplains
The hardest universities for hospital chaplains to get into are Boston College, Boston University, and Emory University.
Some great schools for hospital 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 hospital 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. 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
6. Fordham University
Bronx, NY • Private
Admissions rate
46%
SAT average
1,354
7. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,321
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
9. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for hospital chaplains
The easiest schools for hospital chaplains to get into are Barry University, notre dame de namur university, and nyack college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a hospital 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 hospital chaplains.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
4. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
5. Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,002
6. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
7. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
8. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
9. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
10. Rosemont College
Rosemont, PA • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,026
Average hospital chaplain salary by education level
| Hospital chaplain education level | Hospital chaplain salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $52,337 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,354 |
| Doctorate Degree | $53,717 |
Hospital chaplain education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025