Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Lawrence, KS (2026)

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

Lawrence, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs. Lawrence has a population of about 95,459. Median household income is $62,838 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 55.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lawrence, KS metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $105,820 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Lawrence

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

MidAmerica Nazarene University

Olathe, KS 26.6 miles from Lawrence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,972
Avg net price $32,165/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Kansas Christian College

Overland Park, KS 32.2 miles from Lawrence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
34.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 23%
Avg net price $15,313/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 47%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Saint Paul School of Theology

Leawood, KS 33.9 miles from Lawrence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Benedictine College

Atchison, KS 43.1 miles from Lawrence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,175
Avg net price $27,891/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Manhattan Christian College

Manhattan, KS 72.2 miles from Lawrence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
37.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,860
Avg net price $24,213/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Tabor College

Hillsboro, KS 112.7 miles from Lawrence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,058
Avg net price $20,205/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Newman University

Wichita, KS 145.0 miles from Lawrence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,041
Avg net price $19,971/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Southwestern College

Winfield, KS 150.5 miles from Lawrence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,646
Avg net price $29,824/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 54%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Lawrence

Lawrence is part of the Lawrence, KS metro area (BLS area code 29940). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kansas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$52,130KS statewide$57,794
Director of Religious Activities and Education$45,640KS statewide$50,599
Religious Worker, All OtherN/AKS statewide–
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$105,820Lawrence, KS$117,317

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.

Lawrence at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population95,459Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,838Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+55.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)90.2 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Lawrence-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Lawrence, KS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Lawrence. The closest is MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, KS (26.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is City Vision University (38.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Lawrence?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Lawrence are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($105,820), Clergy ($52,130), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($45,640). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kansas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Gardner instead of Lawrence?

Gardner, KS is 20.6 miles from Lawrence 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 Lawrence an affordable place to study theology?

Lawrence’s median household income of $62,838 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lawrence while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kansas 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 Lawrence

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

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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