Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near McDonough, GA (2026)

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

McDonough, Georgia has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs. McDonough has a population of about 30,056. Median household income is $77,734 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Director of Religious Activities and Education at a median $93,120 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to McDonough

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

Luther Rice College & Seminary

Lithonia, GA 17.9 miles from McDonough
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
30.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,003
Avg net price $27,883/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Columbia Theological Seminary

Decatur, GA 23.6 miles from McDonough
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Beulah Heights University

Atlanta, GA 23.7 miles from McDonough
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
18.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 12%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $35,236
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Emory University

Atlanta, GA 26.2 miles from McDonough
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,137
Avg net price $22,585/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 112

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Interdenominational Theological Center

Atlanta, GA 26.2 miles from McDonough
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Mercer University

Macon, GA 51.2 miles from McDonough
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,354
Avg net price $23,847/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 114

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Point University

West Point, GA 71.3 miles from McDonough
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
31.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,740
Avg net price $25,335/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Emmanuel University

Franklin Springs, GA 81.9 miles from McDonough
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
30.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,208
Avg net price $20,925/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near McDonough

McDonough is part of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area (BLS area code 12060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Georgia statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$65,150Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$65,085
Director of Religious Activities and Education$93,120Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$93,027
Religious Worker, All Other$51,550Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$51,499
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$82,960Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$82,877

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.

McDonough at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population30,056Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$77,734Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+27.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)100.1 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other McDonough-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near McDonough, GA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near McDonough. The closest is Luther Rice College & Seminary in Lithonia, GA (17.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Interdenominational Theological Center (26.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near McDonough?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near McDonough are: Director of Religious Activities and Education ($93,120), Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($82,960), Clergy ($65,150). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Georgia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Stockbridge instead of McDonough?

Stockbridge, GA is 7.5 miles from McDonough 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 McDonough an affordable place to study theology?

McDonough’s median household income of $77,734 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in McDonough while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Georgia 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 McDonough

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

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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