South Dakota · Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries

Best colleges for Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries in South Dakota

Ranked by graduates a year

Kairos University and University of Sioux Falls award the most Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries degrees and certificates in South Dakota: 4 and 3 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 2 South Dakota colleges offer Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries and award 7 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries program focuses on equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary for effective ministry and counseling within various religious contexts. This program is ideal for individuals…

Institutions
2
offering CIP 39.07
States offered
37
with a program page
Degrees / yr
7
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
—
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Median net price
$19,439
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
63%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Clergy
$60,180
BLS OEWS May 2025

2 institutions offering Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries in South Dakota

Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Kairos University
Sioux Falls Private not-for-profit
—4———
2University of Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls Private not-for-profit
—363%$19,439—

Colleges awarding the most Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries degrees in South Dakota

Top 2 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Kairos University
Sioux Falls Private not-for-profit
4Not reported
2University of Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls Private not-for-profit
3Not reported

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Clergy (SOC 21-2011).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+1.0%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~23,000
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$60,820
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

SpeakingActive ListeningWritingReading ComprehensionActive LearningCritical Thinking

What Clergy earn in South Dakota

Jobs in South Dakota
140
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$60,180
median $59,860
Best-paying metro
$60,130
Sioux Falls, SD-MN

Related careers

Clergy
$60,180 avg · 140 jobs
Directors, Religious Activities and Education
$49,260 avg · 50 jobs
Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary
$59,260 avg · 40 jobs
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other
—
Counselors, All Other
—
Religious Workers, All Other
—

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries programs in South Dakota.

Which South Dakota colleges award the most Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries degrees?+

Kairos University (4 graduates a year) and University of Sioux Falls (3 graduates a year) award the most Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries degrees and certificates in South Dakota, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 2 South Dakota colleges offer Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries.

How much do Clergy earn in South Dakota?+

The average annual wage for Clergy in South Dakota is $60,180 (median $59,860), across about 140 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries program?+

The Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries program focuses on equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary for effective ministry and counseling within various religious contexts. This program is ideal for individuals…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop speaking, active listening, writing, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Clergy?+

The national job outlook is about +1.0% growth with around 23,000 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries in other statesMissouriTexasCaliforniaIllinoisPennsylvaniaFloridaTennesseeVirginia

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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card