Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Galesburg, IL (2026)

Galesburg, Illinois has 1 accredited school offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $36,658 to $51,141 per year for indexed programs. Galesburg has a population of about 29,653. Median household income is $45,213 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $77,720 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Theology Schools to Galesburg

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

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

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#1

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, IL 131.1 miles from Galesburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,213
Avg net price $20,729/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Benedictine University

Lisle, IL 131.3 miles from Galesburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,446
Avg net price $22,313/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Judson University

Elgin, IL 132.4 miles from Galesburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
52.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 48%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,313
Avg net price $18,558/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,360
Out‑of‑state$31,360
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Wheaton College

Wheaton, IL 134.0 miles from Galesburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
75.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,756
Avg net price $26,975/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Northern Baptist Theological Seminary

Lisle, IL 134.1 miles from Galesburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 5

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights, IL 143.4 miles from Galesburg
  • 4 year
51.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,700
Avg net price $19,125/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Dominican University

River Forest, IL 147.7 miles from Galesburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,327
Avg net price $11,745/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Concordia University-Chicago

River Forest, IL 148.2 miles from Galesburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,089
Avg net price $18,436/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 70

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Theology Wages Near Galesburg

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide)
Clergy$61,820
Director of Religious Activities and Education$53,600
Religious Worker, All Other$47,070
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$77,720

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.


Galesburg at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population29,653Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$45,213Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+19.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Galesburg-Area Cities With Theology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Galesburg, IL?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering theology programs near Galesburg. The closest is Saint Ambrose University in Davenport, IA (42.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Saint Ambrose University (42.1 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles in Illinois?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles in Illinois are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($77,720), Clergy ($61,820), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($53,600). Wages for Galesburg workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Moline instead of Galesburg?

Moline, IL is 37.2 miles from Galesburg 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 Galesburg an affordable place to study theology?

Galesburg’s median household income of $45,213 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Galesburg while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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 Galesburg

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

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.