Best degree programs for Directors, Religious Activities and Education, ranked by enrollment
16 college programs and 379 schools train Directors, Religious Activities and Education. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $52,100 median wage, 22,160 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
16 college programs at 379 schools train directors, religious activities and education, graduating 9,931 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Bible/Biblical Studies. The job pays a median of $52,100 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About directors, religious activities and education
Coordinate or design programs and conduct outreach to promote the religious education or activities of a denominational group. May provide counseling, guidance, and leadership relative to marital, health, financial, and religious problems.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
16 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bible/Biblical Studiesmain feeder CIP 39.0201 | 3,366 | 33.9% | 200 | $33,182 | $25,000 |
| 2 | CIP 39.0701 | 1,283 | 12.9% | 105 | $32,226 | $26,000 |
| 3 | Religious Educationmain feeder CIP 39.0401 | 1,234 | 12.4% | 70 | $32,351 | $25,937 |
| 4 | Missions/Missionary Studiesmain feeder CIP 39.0301 | 1,212 | 12.2% | 84 | $28,103 | $17,318 |
| 5 | CIP 51.3201 | 779 | 7.8% | 49 | $99,851 | $21,475 |
| 6 | CIP 39.0705 | 672 | 6.8% | 50 | $32,226 | $26,000 |
| 7 | CIP 39.0799 | 594 | 6.0% | 57 | $32,226 | $26,000 |
| 8 | CIP 39.0702 | 253 | 2.5% | 60 | $32,226 | $26,000 |
| 9 | CIP 51.1506 | 217 | 2.2% | 18 | $37,335 | $22,861 |
| 10 | CIP 39.0502 | 107 | 1.1% | 20 | $30,092 | $27,000 |
| 11 | CIP 39.0704 | 83 | 0.8% | 7 | $32,226 | $26,000 |
| 12 | CIP 39.0706 | 61 | 0.6% | 12 | $32,226 | $26,000 |
| 13 | CIP 39.0703 | 42 | 0.4% | 8 | $32,226 | $26,000 |
| 14 | CIP 30.5301 | 19 | 0.2% | 2 | — | — |
| 15 | CIP 39.0599 | 6 | 0.1% | 2 | $30,092 | $27,000 |
| 16 | CIP 30.2502 | 3 | 0.0% | 2 | $41,362 | $17,750 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 686 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 65% | $28,911 | 99% |
| 2 | Word of Life Bible Institute Pottersville, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 462 | Missions/Missionary Studies | 80% | $12,373 | — |
| 3 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 371 | Religious Education | 43% | $21,535 | 79% |
| 4 | Moody Bible Institute Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 260 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 62% | $24,848 | 83% |
| 5 | Lancaster Bible College Lancaster, PA Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 216 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 67% | $21,399 | 56% |
| 6 | Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Kansas City, MO Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 187 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 48% | $26,572 | 96% |
| 7 | New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary New Orleans, LA Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 176 | Women's Ministry | 74% | — | — |
| 8 | Gordon - Conwell Theological Seminary South Hamilton, MA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 172 | Lay Ministry | — | — | — |
| 9 | The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, KY Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 157 | Missions/Missionary Studies | 40% | — | 56% |
| 10 | Ozark Christian College Joplin, MO Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 154 | Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries, Other | 64% | $17,334 | 94% |
| 11 | Regent University Virginia Beach, VA Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 137 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 57% | $18,677 | 38% |
| 12 | Westminster Theological Seminary Glenside, PA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 132 | Lay Ministry | — | — | — |
| 13 | Nelson University Waxahachie, TX Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 124 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 42% | $19,790 | 89% |
| 14 | Columbia International University Columbia, SC Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 108 | Missions/Missionary Studies | 47% | $21,361 | 94% |
| 15 | The Master's University and Seminary Santa Clarita, CA Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 108 | Pastoral Studies/Counseling | 68% | $30,641 | 84% |
| 16 | Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Wake Forest, NC Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 107 | Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries, Other | 58% | $6,608 | 75% |
| 17 | Belhaven University Jackson, MS Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 103 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 49% | $22,476 | 50% |
| 18 | Colorado Christian University Lakewood, CO Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 99 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 64% | $23,447 | — |
| 19 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 92 | Bioethics/Medical Ethics | 98% | $15,013 | 4% |
| 20 | Pillar College Newark, NJ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 92 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 38% | $8,042 | — |
| 21 | Trinity International University - Illinois Deerfield, IL Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 90 | Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling | 46% | $20,539 | 100% |
| 22 | Duke University Durham, NC Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 89 | Religious Education | 97% | $16,260 | 6% |
| 23 | Emmaus Bible College Dubuque, IA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 89 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 83% | $13,586 | 60% |
| 24 | University of St Thomas Houston, TX Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 89 | Pastoral Studies/Counseling | 69% | $19,546 | 90% |
| 25 | Dallas Baptist University Dallas, TX Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 85 | Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries, Other | 57% | $29,227 | 89% |
| 26 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 80 | Bioethics/Medical Ethics | 73% | $33,454 | 82% |
| 27 | Asbury Theological Seminary Wilmore, KY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 79 | Bible/Biblical Studies | — | — | — |
| 28 | Wheaton College Wheaton, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 78 | Religious Education | 85% | $23,461 | 87% |
| 29 | Grace College and Theological Seminary Winona Lake, IN Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 76 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 69% | $16,216 | 82% |
| 30 | College of Biblical Studies - Houston Houston, TX Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 74 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 40% | $15,990 | — |
| 31 | Dallas Theological Seminary Dallas, TX Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 73 | Pastoral Studies/Counseling | — | — | — |
| 32 | Lee University Cleveland, TN Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 73 | Pastoral Studies/Counseling | 63% | $18,918 | 71% |
| 33 | Fuller Theological Seminary Pasadena, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 71 | Missions/Missionary Studies | — | — | — |
| 34 | George Fox University Newberg, OR Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 69 | Pastoral Studies/Counseling | 72% | $26,564 | 94% |
| 35 | Grace Christian University Wyoming, MI Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 68 | Lay Ministry | 51% | $14,254 | 99% |
| 36 | Kairos University Sioux Falls, SD Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 66 | Bible/Biblical Studies | — | — | 85% |
| 37 | Andrews University Berrien Springs, MI Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 61 | Pastoral Studies/Counseling | 72% | $17,800 | 82% |
| 38 | North Central University Minneapolis, MN Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 60 | Pastoral Studies/Counseling | 66% | $23,452 | 99% |
| 39 | University of Providence Great Falls, MT Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 59 | Missions/Missionary Studies | 28% | $20,500 | 50% |
| 40 | University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 59 | Religious Education | 50% | $11,672 | 99% |
| 41 | Grace School of Theology The Woodlands, TX Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 58 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 100% | — | — |
| 42 | Appalachian Bible College Mount Hope, WV Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 71% | $15,446 | 78% |
| 43 | Valor Christian College Canal Winchester, OH Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 57 | Pastoral Studies/Counseling | 44% | $26,387 | — |
| 44 | Cedarville University Cedarville, OH Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 56 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 73% | $22,701 | 65% |
| 45 | Luther Rice College & Seminary Lithonia, GA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 56 | Bible/Biblical Studies | — | $3,935 | 92% |
| 46 | Maranatha Baptist University Watertown, WI Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 54 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 64% | $25,239 | 72% |
| 47 | Biola University La Mirada, CA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 52 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 68% | $26,727 | 74% |
| 48 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 51 | Bioethics/Medical Ethics | 88% | — | 61% |
| 49 | Davis College Pottersville, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 27% | $14,320 | 56% |
| 50 | Trinity College of Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Bible/Biblical Studies | 34% | $19,100 | 53% |
What directors, religious activities and education earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $59,020 | 380 | 0.65× | 9 | 889 |
| New York | $49,990 | 3,550 | 2.57× | 18 | 752 |
| Texas | $75,420 | 330 | 0.16× | 31 | 736 |
| Illinois | $53,600 | — | — | 18 | 663 |
| California | $61,570 | 3,200 | 1.23× | 28 | 589 |
| Missouri | $52,980 | 60 | 0.15× | 17 | 565 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,510 | 1,210 | 1.41× | 18 | 549 |
| Ohio | $49,340 | 740 | 0.93× | 21 | 433 |
| Arizona | $57,140 | 300 | 0.64× | 7 | 420 |
| Kentucky | $52,230 | 250 | 0.88× | 10 | 385 |
| Massachusetts | $62,930 | 160 | 0.30× | 14 | 351 |
| North Carolina | $63,280 | 260 | 0.37× | 13 | 303 |
| Minnesota | $50,110 | 760 | 1.81× | 10 | 276 |
| Indiana | $58,490 | 670 | 1.47× | 14 | 265 |
| Tennessee | $61,940 | 130 | 0.28× | 14 | 238 |
| Florida | $49,230 | 1,420 | 1.00× | 13 | 221 |
| Louisianamoderate | $29,540 | — | — | 4 | 208 |
| Michigan | $45,590 | 950 | 1.52× | 8 | 204 |
| South Carolina | $36,120 | 170 | 0.52× | 6 | 183 |
| Georgia | $72,910 | 320 | 0.46× | 10 | 165 |
| Colorado | $67,760 | 100 | 0.24× | 5 | 143 |
| Iowamoderate | $66,140 | 220 | 0.98× | 4 | 140 |
| Oregon | $45,360 | 1,860 | 6.65× | 6 | 138 |
| Mississippi | $49,430 | 120 | 0.75× | 5 | 127 |
| Oklahoma | $47,100 | 110 | 0.46× | 8 | 109 |
| New Jersey | $65,730 | — | — | 5 | 105 |
| Alabama | $79,310 | 90 | 0.31× | 6 | 95 |
| South Dakotamoderate | $53,360 | 50 | 0.70× | 3 | 74 |
| Wisconsinmoderate | $40,180 | 130 | 0.32× | 4 | 74 |
| Montanalimited | $45,220 | 640 | 8.75× | 1 | 59 |
| Arkansas | $33,920 | 140 | 0.76× | 7 | 58 |
| Kansas | $45,640 | 140 | 0.66× | 7 | 40 |
| Idahomoderate | $44,990 | 40 | 0.30× | 3 | 34 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $47,850 | 160 | 0.65× | 3 | 33 |
| Nebraska | $72,500 | 40 | 0.24× | 5 | 31 |
| District of Columbiamoderate | $61,870 | 170 | 1.72× | 3 | 30 |
| Marylandlimited | $58,820 | 300 | 0.76× | 2 | 28 |
| Washington | $56,480 | 390 | 0.78× | 5 | 25 |
| Utahlimited | $56,790 | 50 | 0.20× | 1 | 15 |
| Hawaiilimited | $47,590 | 310 | 3.47× | 1 | 8 |
| Rhode Islandlimited | $44,770 | 120 | 1.66× | 2 | 3 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Develop or direct study courses or religious education programs within congregations.
- Identify and recruit potential volunteer workers.
- Select appropriate curricula or class structures for educational programs.
- Schedule special events, such as camps, conferences, meetings, seminars, or retreats.
- Counsel individuals regarding interpersonal, health, financial, or religious problems.
- Collaborate with other ministry members to establish goals and objectives for religious education programs or to develop ways to encourage program participation.
- Train and supervise religious education instructional staff.
- Implement program plans by ordering needed materials, scheduling speakers, reserving space, or handling other administrative details.
Skills
- Speaking4.1
- Active Listening4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Active Learning3.9
- Learning Strategies3.8
- Writing3.3
- Monitoring3.1
Knowledge areas
- Philosophy and Theology4.2
- Education and Training4.0
- Customer and Personal Service3.9
- English Language3.8
- Psychology3.5
- Therapy and Counseling3.4
Abilities
- Written Expression4.0
- Written Comprehension4.0
- Oral Expression4.0
- Speech Clarity3.9
- Oral Comprehension3.9
- Speech Recognition3.9
Core activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others4.8
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.6
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.4
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.3
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.3
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.2
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Director
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience needed
- Less than 5 years
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 16 majors mapped to Directors, Religious Activities and Education16 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 30.2502Contemplative Studies/Inquiry
- 30.5301Thanatology
- 39.0201Bible/Biblical Studies
- 39.0301Missions/Missionary Studies
- 39.0401Religious Education
- 39.0502Worship Ministry
- 39.0599Religious Music and Worship, Other
- 39.0701Pastoral Studies/Counseling
- 39.0702Youth Ministry
- 39.0703Urban Ministry
- 39.0704Women's Ministry
- 39.0705Lay Ministry
- 39.0706Chaplain/Chaplaincy Studies
- 39.0799Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries, Other
- 51.1506Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling
- 51.3201Bioethics/Medical Ethics
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Director?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Bible/Biblical Studies, which awarded 3,366 degrees in 2024-25, 33.9% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Director?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 16 programs to this occupation. The largest are Bible/Biblical Studies, Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries, Religious Education, Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology, plus 5 more. Together they graduate about 9,931 people a year.
How much do directors, religious activities and education earn?+
The median is $52,100 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $34,670 at the 10th percentile to $98,310 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for directors, religious activities and education growing?+
BLS projects a +2.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 13,800 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
379 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 16 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do directors, religious activities and education work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Youth Pastor, Christian Education Director, Religious Education Director, Children's Ministries Director among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 21-2021.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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