Best institutions to study Women's Ministry
A program that prepares non-ordained women to provide spiritual, counseling, and leadership services to other women in local churches, parachurch organizations, and other settings.
7 U.S. institutions graduated 83 Women's Ministry students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 39.0704, a specialization of Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries (CIP 39.07), and leads most directly to the Directors, Religious Activities and Education occupation (BLS SOC 21-2021).
About Women's Ministry programs
A program that prepares non-ordained women to provide spiritual, counseling, and leadership services to other women in local churches, parachurch organizations, and other settings. Includes instruction in foundations of women's ministry, women's ministry in the local church, spiritual formation, women's evangelism and discipleship, bible study and theology, homiletics, lay counseling, women's issues, and leadership training.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Women's Ministry program, part of the Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries field, prepares non-ordained women to provide spiritual, counseling, and leadership services within various settings, including local churches and parachurch organizations. This program is designed for individuals seeking to empower and support other women through ministry roles.
Students in this program will gain knowledge in areas such as women's ministry foundations, spiritual formation, evangelism, discipleship, and lay counseling. Coursework emphasizes essential skills like speaking, active listening, and critical thinking, equipping graduates to lead and support their communities effectively.
Credentials awarded
What Women's Ministry graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Award of less than 12 weeks37 graduates / yr · 1 institution45%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year17 graduates / yr · 2 institutions21%
- Master's degree16 graduates / yr · 4 institutions19%
- Bachelor's degree9 graduates / yr · 1 institution11%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate2 graduates / yr · 1 institution2.4%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship2 graduates / yr · 1 institution2.4%
Graduates over time
Women's Ministry completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 53 |
| 2013 | 18 |
| 2014 | 16 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 11 |
| 2017 | 50 |
| 2018 | 18 |
| 2019 | 32 |
| 2020 | 28 |
| 2021 | 58 |
| 2022 | 63 |
| 2023 | 66 |
| 2024 | 75 |
| 2025 | 83 |
Top 7 institutions for Women's Ministry, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary New Orleans, LAPrivate not-for-profitAward of less than 12 weeksMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 42 | 74% | — | — |
| 2 | Moody Bible Institute Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 14 | 62% | $24,848 | $35,426 |
| 3 | Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Kansas City, MOPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 12 | 48% | $26,572 | — |
| 4 | The Master's University and Seminary Santa Clarita, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 7 | 68% | $30,641 | — |
| 5 | Grace College and Theological Seminary Winona Lake, INPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 3 | 69% | $16,216 | $25,060 |
| 6 | Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Wake Forest, NCPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 3 | 58% | $6,608 | — |
| 7 | Drew University Madison, NJPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral | 2 | 70% | $23,094 | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries field (CIP 39.07) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 7 states
Where Women's Ministry graduates come from. Each state links to all Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 1 | 42 | New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary42 / yr |
| Illinois | 1 | 14 | Moody Bible Institute14 / yr |
| Missouri | 1 | 12 | Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary12 / yr |
| California | 1 | 7 | The Master's University and Seminary7 / yr |
| Indiana | 1 | 3 | Grace College and Theological Seminary3 / yr |
| North Carolina | 1 | 3 | Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary3 / yr |
| New Jersey | 1 | 2 | Drew University2 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 21-2021, Directors, Religious Activities and Education, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Women's Ministry program can pursue careers as Directors of Religious Activities and Education or other religious roles. The job outlook for related positions is about as fast as average, with an annual growth rate of 2.1% and approximately 13,800 annual openings. A typical education requirement is a Bachelor's degree, with a median wage of $54,840.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 39.0704
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Directors, Religious Activities and Educationprimary SOC 21-2021 | $52,100 | +2.1% About as fast as average | ~13,800 | Bachelor's degree |
Religious Workers, All Other SOC 21-2099 | $45,280 | +0.6% Little or no change | ~11,100 | Bachelor's degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Women's Ministry programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- 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.
Tools and technology used
Other Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries specializations
The 6 other 6-digit CIP codes under Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries (CIP 39.07).
- Pastoral Studies/CIP 39.0701
Counseling 1,283 graduates / yr105 institutions - Lay MinistryCIP 39.0705672 graduates / yr50 institutions
- Pastoral Counseling and Specialized MinistriesCIP 39.0799594 graduates / yr57 institutions
- Youth MinistryCIP 39.0702253 graduates / yr60 institutions
- Chaplain/CIP 39.0706
Chaplaincy Studies 61 graduates / yr12 institutions - Urban MinistryCIP 39.0703partial data42 graduates / yr8 institutions
See all Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries programs →
Common questions
What is the focus of the Women's Ministry program?+
The program focuses on preparing women to provide spiritual and counseling services in various ministry settings.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in speaking, active listening, critical thinking, and counseling.
What career opportunities are available after graduation?+
Graduates can work as Directors of Religious Activities and Education or in other religious roles.
What is the job outlook for careers in this field?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with a growth rate of 2.1% and around 13,800 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Women's Ministry?+
Women's Ministry is CIP 39.0704 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries (CIP 39.07). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares non-ordained women to provide spiritual, counseling, and leadership services to other women in local churches, parachurch organizations, and other settings. Includes instruction in foundations of women's ministry, women's ministry in the local church, spiritual formation, women's evangelism and discipleship, bible study and theology, homiletics, lay counseling, women's issues, and leadership training.
How many institutions offer Women's Ministry programs?+
7 U.S. institutions reported Women's Ministry graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 7 states, awarding 83 credentials in the year. That is 2.8% of all Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries graduates.
How much do Women's Ministry graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Directors, Religious Activities and Education occupation, which Women's Ministry most directly leads to, pays a median of $52,100 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries field report median earnings of $35,426 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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