Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Gainesville, FL (2026)

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

Gainesville, Florida has 3 accredited schools offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $15,100 to $26,995 per year for indexed programs. Gainesville has a population of about 143,611. Median household income is $45,611 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 51.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Florida, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $63,330 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Gainesville

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

Trinity Baptist College

Jacksonville, FL 54.5 miles from Gainesville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
26.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 53%
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,275
Avg net price $20,011/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,100
Out‑of‑state$15,100
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 54%
  • Programs offered: 9

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

#2

Saint Leo University

Saint Leo, FL 93.1 miles from Gainesville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,364
Avg net price $21,293/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL 96.5 miles from Gainesville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,282
Avg net price $30,135/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Trinity College of Florida

Trinity, FL 104.7 miles from Gainesville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
22.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,465
Avg net price $20,297/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,300
Out‑of‑state$16,300
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 22%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:Accreditor: Association for Biblical Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Florida College

Temple Terrace, FL 113.8 miles from Gainesville
  • 4 year
35.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,445
Avg net price $23,931/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Faith Theological Seminary and Christian College

Tampa, FL 115.8 miles from Gainesville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Southeastern University

Lakeland, FL 117.0 miles from Gainesville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
32.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 53%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,744
Avg net price $31,942/yr
Tuition
In‑state$32,950
Out‑of‑state$32,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 74

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Warner University

Lake Wales, FL 135.9 miles from Gainesville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,086
Avg net price $19,748/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 45%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Gainesville

Gainesville is part of the Gainesville, FL metro area (BLS area code 23540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$56,270Gainesville, FL$58,190
Director of Religious Activities and Education$49,230FL statewide$50,910
Religious Worker, All Other$38,490FL statewide$39,804
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$63,330FL statewide$65,491

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.

Gainesville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population143,611Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$45,611Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+51.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)96.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Gainesville-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Gainesville, FL?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering theology programs near Gainesville. The closest is Trinity Baptist College in Jacksonville, FL (54.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is AdventHealth University (96.5 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Gainesville?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Gainesville are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($63,330), Clergy ($56,270), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($49,230). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Ocala instead of Gainesville?

Ocala, FL is 36.6 miles from Gainesville 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 Gainesville an affordable place to study theology?

Gainesville’s median household income of $45,611 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Gainesville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida 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 Gainesville

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

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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