Washington · Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries

Best colleges for Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries in Washington

Ranked by graduates a year

Walla Walla University and Northwest University award the most Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries degrees and certificates in Washington: 3 and 1 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 3 Washington colleges offer Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries and award 5 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
3
offering CIP 39.07
States offered
37
with a program page
Degrees / yr
5
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
—
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Median net price
$21,433
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
52%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Clergy
$81,460
BLS OEWS May 2025

3 institutions offering Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries in Washington

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
1Walla Walla University
College Place Private not-for-profit
—360%$22,260—
2Northwest University
Kirkland Private not-for-profit
—171%$21,433—
3Faith International University
Tacoma Private not-for-profit
—125%$18,744—

Colleges awarding the most Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries degrees in Washington

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)
1Walla Walla University
College Place Private not-for-profit
3Not reported
2Northwest University
Kirkland Private not-for-profit
1Not reported
Show the other 1 Washington colleges offering Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Faith International UniversityTacomaPrivate not-for-profit1

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 Washington

Jobs in Washington
1,060
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$81,460
median $80,830
Best-paying metro
$85,010
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

Related careers

Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other
$69,400 avg · 4,800 jobs
Clergy
$81,460 avg · 1,060 jobs
Religious Workers, All Other
$60,140 avg · 790 jobs
Directors, Religious Activities and Education
$60,150 avg · 390 jobs
Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary
$86,670 avg · 330 jobs
Counselors, All Other
$73,610 avg · 120 jobs

Common questions

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

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

Walla Walla University (3 graduates a year) and Northwest University (1 graduate a year) award the most Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries degrees and certificates in Washington, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 3 Washington colleges offer Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries.

How much do Clergy earn in Washington?+

The average annual wage for Clergy in Washington is $81,460 (median $80,830), across about 1,060 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.

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