Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Fayetteville, AR (2026)

Updated September 1, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Fayetteville, Arkansas has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs. Fayetteville has a population of about 97,227. Median household income is $59,074 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Arkansas, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $74,100 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Fayetteville

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer theology programs near Fayetteville, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Fayetteville city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Fayetteville. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Ecclesia College

Springdale, AR 10.6 miles from Fayetteville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
24.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,650
Avg net price $22,075/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 45%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

John Brown University

Siloam Springs, AR 23.5 miles from Fayetteville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,907
Avg net price $20,397/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Central Baptist College

Conway, AR 118.4 miles from Fayetteville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
41.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,789
Avg net price $12,287/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Jackson Theological Seminary

North Little Rock, AR 140.5 miles from Fayetteville
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:Accreditor: Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and SchoolsIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Harding University

Searcy, AR 148.3 miles from Fayetteville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,876
Avg net price $22,130/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 100

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Ouachita Baptist University

Arkadelphia, AR 148.4 miles from Fayetteville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,673
Avg net price $22,409/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Williams Baptist University

Walnut Ridge, AR 180.1 miles from Fayetteville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
34.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,484
Avg net price $15,745/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Crowley's Ridge College

Paragould, AR 200.0 miles from Fayetteville
  • 4 year
21.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,533
Avg net price $16,315/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arkansas schools on the Arkansas theology page.

Theology Wages Near Fayetteville

Fayetteville is part of the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metro area (BLS area code 22220). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arkansas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$54,360Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$59,475
Director of Religious Activities and Education$33,920AR statewide$37,112
Religious Worker, All Other$44,760AR statewide$48,972
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$74,100AR statewide$81,072

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Fayetteville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population97,227Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$59,074Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+49.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Fayetteville-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Fayetteville, AR?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Fayetteville. The closest is Ecclesia College in Springdale, AR (10.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Drury University (93.1 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Fayetteville?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Fayetteville are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($74,100), Clergy ($54,360), Religious Worker, All Other ($44,760). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arkansas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Springdale instead of Fayetteville?

Springdale, AR is 8.2 miles from Fayetteville and has its own set of local theology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Fayetteville an affordable place to study theology?

Fayetteville’s median household income of $59,074 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fayetteville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arkansas public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Theology Programs

Other Programs Available in Fayetteville

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Fayetteville:

Data verified: September 1, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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