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School chaplain education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a school chaplain. School chaplains usually study theology, education, or psychology. 48% of school chaplains hold a bachelor's degree, and 39% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 31 real school chaplain resumes to see exactly what school chaplain education sections show.
The most common colleges for school chaplains are the Nyack College and the Nyack College.
There are also many online school chaplain courses to help get the education required to be a school chaplain.
What education do you need to become a school chaplain?
What degree do you need to be a school chaplain?
- Bachelor's, 48%
- Master's, 39%
- Diploma, 9%
- Doctorate, 4%
What should I major in to become a school chaplain?
- Theology, 38%
- Education, 15%
- Psychology, 4%
- Other Majors, 39%
Most common colleges for school chaplains
| School chaplain common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Nyack College | 16.67% |
| Asbury Theological Seminary | 8.33% |
| Trinity University | 8.33% |
| Texas Lutheran University | 8.33% |
| Arizona State University | 8.33% |
Best majors for school chaplains
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theology | 38.5% |
| 2 | Education | 15.4% |
| 3 | Psychology | 3.8% |
| 4 | School Counseling | 3.8% |
| 5 | Fine Arts | 3.8% |
Best colleges for school chaplains
The best colleges for school chaplains are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
A school 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 school 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 school chaplains.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
6. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,306
Enrollment
6,975
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for school chaplains
Advertising disclosure
1. School Health for Children and Adolescents
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2. American Education Reform: History, Policy, Practice
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3. Prophetic School And Hearing The Voice of God
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5. Kids with Cancer Still Need School: The Providers Role
This course will help you understand and address the challenges parents and families face regarding schooling after a cancer diagnosis. When a child is diagnosed with cancer, families can be overwhelmed learning about and managing this new and frightening reality. As they adjust to the new normal of ongoing treatment, school may be the farthest thing from their mind. However, as their oncology health care provider, you have a critical role in starting conversations about schooling. Even for...
6. Critical Issues in Urban Education
Urban school reform in the United States is characterized by contentious, politicized debate. This course explores a set of critical issues in the education and educational reform space, with a focus on aspects of the field that have sparked controversy and polarized views. We will dig into these debates, situating them within the larger history of public education and school reform, and considering the viewpoints, the evidence, and translation of issues into educational policy. We will...
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9. Social Policy for Social Services & Health Practitioners
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10. The Teacher and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Social and emotional learning, or SEL, programs have flourished in schools during the last decade. These programs vary widely but most share a concern for five individual, student competencies: self awareness; self-management; social awareness; relationship skills; and finally responsible decision making. It is important for teachers and parents to know about and understand these programs. While lots of SEL programs emphasize K-12 student social and emotional learning, only a very few programs...
11. Laravel 8 - Advance Course Build School Management System
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12. Introduction to Early Childhood Montessori Education
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13. Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher
Many Deaf children around the world still leave school functionally illiterate. In some cases, there is no allowance made for the education of Deaf children at all. This 4-week course provides you with invaluable knowledge and skills about teaching Deaf children. You will learn about the importance of Deaf culture and community, the need for a language-rich environment for the Deaf child from as young as possible, and that having access to sign language can help Deaf children academically,...
14. School Registry using Object Oriented Programming in Java
In this 1-hour long project-based course, you will learn how to create a graphical user interface for a school registry using Java Window Builder. You will be able to identify and apply the four principles of object-oriented programming, which are encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism and abstraction, to almost any programming language. Throughout the project, you will be able to identify encapsulation and how to use it, comprehend and apply inheritance, use the different forms of...
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16. Build Complete School Management System Using PHP Framework
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17. Online Learning Design for Educators
This specialization is for educators seeking to improve and expand their repertoire of online teaching skills related to the design, development and delivery of effective and engaging online courses and lessons for school age and adult learners.\n\nLearning in the 21st century no longer takes place exclusively between the four walls of a physical classroom. With advances in technology, learners now expect to be offered flexible study modes outside of the traditional face-to-face model. This...
18. Aboriginal Worldviews and Education
Intended for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal learners, this course will explore indigenous ways of knowing and how they can benefit all students. Topics include historical, social, and political issues in Aboriginal education; terminology; cultural, spiritual and philosophical themes in Aboriginal worldviews; and how Aboriginal worldviews can inform professional programs and practices, including but not limited to the field of education...
19. 101 Crucial Lessons They Don't Teach You In Business School
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20. Health, Housing, and Educational Services
Course 5 discusses policies in four areas: housing, education, healthcare, and immigration, with an optional fifth module in child protection. This course addresses issues of power, oppression, and white supremacy. -First we’ll look at housing policy, with its contrasting supports for homeowners and renters. -Then we’ll interpret the structure that provides education and examine debates about its future. -The third module will differentiate the issues in the U.S. healthcare system and develop...
Top 10 most affordable universities for school chaplains
The most affordable schools for school chaplains are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for school 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 school 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. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
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. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. Luther Rice College and Seminary
Lithonia, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,616
Cost of attendance
8,720
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for school chaplains
The hardest universities for school chaplains to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for school 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 school 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
7. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for school chaplains
The easiest schools for school chaplains 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 school 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 school chaplains.
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. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
6. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
7. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
8. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
9. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
10. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
Average school chaplain salary by education level
| School chaplain education level | School chaplain salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $66,205 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $55,240 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $55,425 |
School chaplain education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025