Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near San Luis Obispo, CA

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

San Luis Obispo, California is home to about 48,039 residents. Median household income is $66,711 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 54.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $105,820 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to San Luis Obispo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer theology programs near San Luis Obispo, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

Sort:
#1

Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA 113.6 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,896
Avg net price $13,630/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, CA 124.6 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,712
Avg net price $30,109/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

The Master's University and Seminary

Santa Clarita, CA 136.5 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,106
Avg net price $32,647/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA 140.2 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $82,939
Avg net price $58,098/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

American Jewish University

Los Angeles, CA 147.5 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
81.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,954
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 5

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

#6

Claremont School of Theology

Los Angeles, CA 151.8 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA 156.3 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,349
Avg net price $48,381/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Academy for Jewish Religion California

Los Angeles, CA 156.3 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
  • Accredited
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 3

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

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

Theology Wages Near San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo is part of the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA metro area (BLS area code 42020). 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$62,610San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$57,652
Director of Religious Activities and Education$52,460San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$48,306
Religious Worker, All Other$45,440CA statewide$41,842
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$105,820CA statewide$97,440

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 Luis Obispo at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population48,039Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,711Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+54.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)108.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other San Luis Obispo-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying theology roles near San Luis Obispo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near San Luis Obispo are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($105,820), Clergy ($62,610), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($52,460). 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 Arroyo Grande instead of San Luis Obispo?

Arroyo Grande, CA is 10.9 miles from San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo an affordable place to study theology?

San Luis Obispo’s median household income of $66,711 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for San Luis Obispo:

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.

Back to Best Theology & Ministry Schools in California (2026)