Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near San Juan Capistrano, CA

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

San Juan Capistrano, California has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs. San Juan Capistrano has a population of about 34,998. Median household income is $127,893 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 42.3% 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 San Juan Capistrano

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

Concordia University-Irvine

Irvine, CA 13.9 miles from San Juan Capistrano
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,083
Avg net price $28,115/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Vanguard University of Southern California

Costa Mesa, CA 18.1 miles from San Juan Capistrano
  • 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

#3

Bethesda University

Anaheim, CA 28.8 miles from San Juan Capistrano
  • 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

#4

Hope International University

Fullerton, CA 29.1 miles from San Juan Capistrano
  • 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

#5

La Sierra University

Riverside, CA 29.7 miles from San Juan Capistrano
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,824
Avg net price $45,566/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Grace Mission University

Fullerton, CA 30.8 miles from San Juan Capistrano
  • 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

#7

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA 32.4 miles from San Juan Capistrano
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,504
Avg net price $26,285/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 98

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Biola University

La Mirada, CA 34.8 miles from San Juan Capistrano
  • 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

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

Theology Wages Near San Juan Capistrano

San Juan Capistrano 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.

San Juan Capistrano at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population34,998Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$127,893Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+42.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)113.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other San Juan Capistrano-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near San Juan Capistrano, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near San Juan Capistrano. The closest is Concordia University-Irvine in Irvine, CA (13.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is La Sierra University (29.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near San Juan Capistrano?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near San Juan Capistrano 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 Dana Point instead of San Juan Capistrano?

Dana Point, CA is 3.1 miles from San Juan Capistrano 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 San Juan Capistrano an affordable place to study theology?

San Juan Capistrano’s median household income of $127,893 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in San Juan Capistrano 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 San Juan Capistrano

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for San Juan Capistrano:

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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