Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Upland, CA (2026)

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

Upland, California has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $22,118 to $35,062 per year for indexed programs. Upland has a population of about 78,940. Median household income is $101,407 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $123,650 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Upland

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

Life Pacific University

San Dimas, CA 9.8 miles from Upland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
38.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,299
Avg net price $20,898/yr
Tuition
In‑state$22,118
Out‑of‑state$22,118
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 9

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

#2

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, CA 13.1 miles from Upland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,677
Avg net price $22,212/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 75

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

La Sierra University

Riverside, CA 17.0 miles from Upland
  • 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

#4

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA 18.7 miles from Upland
  • 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

#5

Latin American Bible Institute

La Puente, CA 19.8 miles from Upland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
40.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 24%
Avg net price $10,030/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Hope International University

Fullerton, CA 21.1 miles from Upland
  • 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

Grace Mission University

Fullerton, CA 24.3 miles from Upland
  • 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

#8

University of the West

Rosemead, CA 24.7 miles from Upland
  • 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

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

Theology Wages Near Upland

Upland is part of the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area (BLS area code 40140). 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$78,330Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$73,618
Director of Religious Activities and Education$45,950Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$43,186
Religious Worker, All Other$37,220Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$34,981
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$123,650Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$116,212

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.

Upland at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population78,940Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$101,407Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)106.4 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Upland-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Upland, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Upland. The closest is Life Pacific University in San Dimas, CA (9.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Latin American Bible Institute (19.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Upland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Upland are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($123,650), Clergy ($78,330), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($45,950). 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 Claremont instead of Upland?

Claremont, CA is 3.2 miles from Upland 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 Upland an affordable place to study theology?

Upland’s median household income of $101,407 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Upland 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 Upland

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

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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