Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Long Beach, CA (2026)

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

Long Beach, California has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs. Long Beach has a population of about 458,491. Median household income is $83,969 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $103,320 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Long Beach

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer theology programs near Long Beach, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Long Beach 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 Long Beach. 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

Presbyterian Theological Seminary in America

Santa Fe Springs, CA 8.7 miles from Long Beach
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

America Evangelical University

Gardena, CA 9.4 miles from Long Beach
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
35.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 36%
Avg net price $17,854/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 55%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Biola University

La Mirada, CA 10.9 miles from Long Beach
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,778
Avg net price $31,495/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Grace Mission University

Fullerton, CA 12.4 miles from Long Beach
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Bethesda University

Anaheim, CA 12.9 miles from Long Beach
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
38.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 16%
Avg net price $11,097/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 49%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Hope International University

Fullerton, CA 16.5 miles from Long Beach
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,697
Avg net price $29,310/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of the West

Rosemead, CA 17.2 miles from Long Beach
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
61.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 100%
Graduation rate 33%
Avg net price $6,845/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,446
Out‑of‑state$15,446
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 55%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Vanguard University of Southern California

Costa Mesa, CA 17.9 miles from Long Beach
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,541
Avg net price $21,241/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Long Beach

Long Beach is part of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area (BLS area code 31080). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$84,050Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$73,988
Director of Religious Activities and Education$62,390Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$54,921
Religious Worker, All Other$47,940Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$42,201
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$103,320Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$90,951

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.

Long Beach at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population458,491Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$83,969Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+34.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)113.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Long Beach-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Long Beach, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Long Beach. The closest is Presbyterian Theological Seminary in America in Santa Fe Springs, CA (8.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bethesda University (12.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Long Beach?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Long Beach are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($103,320), Clergy ($84,050), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($62,390). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Lakewood instead of Long Beach?

Lakewood, CA is 3.6 miles from Long Beach 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 Long Beach an affordable place to study theology?

Long Beach’s median household income of $83,969 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Long Beach while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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 Long Beach

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

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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