Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Urbandale, IA (2026)

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

Urbandale, Iowa has 2 accredited schools offering theology programs. Urbandale has a population of about 46,026. Median household income is $113,086 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 51.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $73,760 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Urbandale

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

Grand View University

Des Moines, IA 9.4 miles from Urbandale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,824
Avg net price $21,774/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

Ankeny, IA 10.6 miles from Urbandale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,650
Avg net price $16,282/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Dordt University

Sioux Center, IA 157.4 miles from Urbandale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,559
Avg net price $25,807/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA 165.6 miles from Urbandale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,531
Avg net price $24,691/yr
Tuition
In‑state$36,658
Out‑of‑state$36,658
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Emmaus Bible College

Dubuque, IA 168.8 miles from Urbandale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,631
Avg net price $13,186/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Wartburg Theological Seminary

Dubuque, IA 169.0 miles from Urbandale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Dubuque

Dubuque, IA 169.1 miles from Urbandale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
43.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,190
Avg net price $23,386/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Urbandale

Urbandale is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area (BLS area code 19780). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$61,640Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$67,219
Director of Religious Activities and Education$66,140Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$72,126
Religious Worker, All Other$47,680Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$51,996
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$73,760Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$80,436

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.

Urbandale at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population46,026Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$113,086Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+51.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Urbandale-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Urbandale, IA?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering theology programs near Urbandale. The closest is Grand View University in Des Moines, IA (9.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary (10.6 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Urbandale?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Urbandale are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($73,760), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($66,140), Clergy ($61,640). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Johnston instead of Urbandale?

Johnston, IA is 4.6 miles from Urbandale 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 Urbandale an affordable place to study theology?

Urbandale’s median household income of $113,086 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Urbandale while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa 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 Urbandale

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

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 Iowa (2026)