About
The Pacific School of Religion (PSR) is a private Protestant seminary in Berkeley, California, United States. It maintains covenantal relationships with the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church, and the Disciples of Christ, ensuring the school provides the necessary requirements for candidates to seek ordination within these denominations. These three denominations account for approximately half of the student population of PSR. The school has also maintained close relationships with the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, as well as other denominations. Over the years PSR has provided training for clergy and leaders from a wide range of religious traditions including Buddhists, Jews, Pagans, Pentecostals, and Roman Catholics.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 3 Title IV programs, 1 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 2 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing1 · 33.3%
- No Data2 · 66.7%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
WASC Senior College and University Commission
Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
Action history · 3
- Feb 2023Renewal of AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Feb 2018Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
- Feb 2017Renewal of AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, students received in Pell grants, alongside $884K in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 32 borrowers who entered repayment, 0 (0.0%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Pacific School of Religion
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus2
- Public property1
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Pacific School of Religion vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Pacific School of Religion selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectPacific School of Religion | — | — | 124 | — | — |
Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary | — | — | 145 | — | — |
Aquinas Institute of Theology | — | — | 110 | — | — |
Bakke Graduate University | — | — | 118 | — | — |
Bexley Hall Seabury Western Theological Seminary Federation, Inc. | — | — | 80 | — | — |
Brite Divinity School | — | — | 153 | — | — |
Calvin Theological Seminary | — | — | 367 | — | — |
Christian Theological Seminary | — | — | 151 | — | — |
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School | — | — | 78 | — | — |
Eden Theological Seminary | — | — | 72 | — | — |
HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership | — | 100.0% | 155 | — | — |
Hood Theological Seminary | — | — | 115 | — | — |
Iliff School of Theology | — | — | 166 | — | — |
Interdenominational Theological Center | — | — | 60 | — | — |
Lancaster Theological Seminary | — | — | 66 | — | — |
Lexington Theological Seminary | — | — | 82 | — | — |
Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary | — | — | 103 | — | — |
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago | — | — | 101 | — | — |
McCormick Theological Seminary | — | — | 125 | — | — |
Meadville Theological School of Lombard College | — | — | 62 | — | — |
Nashotah House | — | — | 143 | — | — |
Nazarene Theological Seminary | — | — | 168 | — | — |
New Brunswick Theological Seminary | — | — | 129 | — | — |
New York Theological Seminary | — | — | — | — | — |
Northeastern Seminary | — | — | 218 | — | — |
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary | — | — | 315 | — | — |
Phillips Theological Seminary | — | — | 103 | — | — |
Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family | — | — | 65 | — | — |
Saint Paul School of Theology | — | — | 91 | — | — |
Saint Vladimirs Orthodox Theological Seminary | — | — | 90 | — | — |
Spertus College | — | — | 89 | — | — |
University of Saint Mary of the Lake | — | — | 200 | — | — |
Winebrenner Theological Seminary | — | — | 122 | — | — |
| Peer group median | — | 100.0% | 117 | — |
Reports & documents (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic planA Plan for a Thriving Future2022The Pacific School of Religion has launched a strategic plan for 2022-2025 to address global and educational crises by reforming theological education. This plan includes nurturing collaborative learning, developing a tech-enabled educational platform, enhancing community engagement, and ensuring financial sustainability. The aim is to equip and connect a diverse group of leaders to foster a thriving world.psr.edu
Notable alumni of Pacific School of Religion (27)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- David Batstone
- Lynda Goodsell Blake
- Kittredge Cherry
- Wilbur Wong Yan Choy
- Carla DeSola
- Vernard Eller
- James Ishmael Ford
- Mike Friedrich
- Anne Hodges-Copple
- Margaret F. Hood
- Stewart Hoover
- William R. Johnson (minister)
Frequently asked questions about Pacific School of Religion
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Pacific School of Religion.
How many students attend Pacific School of Religion?
Where is Pacific School of Religion located?
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