East Lansing, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $35,410 to $54,222 per year for indexed programs. East Lansing has a population of about 45,394. Median household income is $43,547 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 67.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $94,510 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Theology Schools to East Lansing
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer theology programs near East Lansing, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from East Lansing 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 East Lansing.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$31,053
Avg net price
$15,524/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 51%
- Programs offered: 10
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$51,732
Avg net price
$19,353/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 75%
- Programs offered: 60
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
69%
Graduation rate
49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$56,075
Avg net price
$32,811/yr
TuitionIn‑state$35,410
Out‑of‑state$35,410
Key stats- Retention rate: 54%
- Programs offered: 48
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:Accreditor: Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
71%
Graduation rate
76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$58,375
Avg net price
$22,992/yr
TuitionIn‑state$39,350
Out‑of‑state$39,350
Key stats- Retention rate: 88%
- Programs offered: 89
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$47,314
Avg net price
$20,301/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 81%
- Programs offered: 63
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$41,066
Avg net price
$15,644/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 64%
- Programs offered: 5
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
90%
Graduation rate
64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$49,584
Avg net price
$16,626/yr
TuitionIn‑state$40,218
Out‑of‑state$40,218
Key stats- Retention rate: 76%
- Programs offered: 49
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Michigan schools on the Michigan theology page.
Theology Wages Near East Lansing
East Lansing is part of the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area (BLS area code 29620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Clergy | $57,710 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $60,747 |
| Director of Religious Activities and Education | $39,500 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $41,579 |
| Religious Worker, All Other | $46,960 | MI statewide | $49,432 |
| Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary | $94,510 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $99,484 |
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.
East Lansing at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 45,394 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $43,547 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 67.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 95.0 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other East Lansing-Area Cities With Theology Programs
- Lansing, MI – 4.5 mi away (318,278 pop)
- Owosso, MI – 23.1 mi away (21,653 pop)
- Jackson, MI – 35.1 mi away (88,394 pop)
- Flint, MI – 44.3 mi away (338,616 pop)
- South Lyon, MI – 46.7 mi away (123,555 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited theology schools are near East Lansing, MI?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near East Lansing. The closest is Great Lakes Christian College in Lansing, MI (7.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Calvin University (57.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying theology roles near East Lansing?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near East Lansing are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($94,510), Clergy ($57,710), Religious Worker, All Other ($46,960). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Lansing instead of East Lansing?
Lansing, MI is 4.5 miles from East Lansing 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 East Lansing an affordable place to study theology?
East Lansing’s median household income of $43,547 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in East Lansing while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 East Lansing
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for East Lansing:
- Creative Writing programs in East Lansing, MI
- Environmental Science programs in East Lansing, MI
- Nutrition programs in East Lansing, MI
- Library Science programs in East Lansing, MI
- Applied Behavior Analysis programs in East Lansing, MI
- Medical Billing and Coding programs in East Lansing, MI
- Medical Assistant programs in East Lansing, MI
- Pharmacy Technician programs in East Lansing, MI
- Health Science programs in East Lansing, MI
- Occupational Safety and Health programs in East Lansing, MI
- Entrepreneurship programs in East Lansing, MI
- Interior Design programs in East Lansing, MI
- Photography programs in East Lansing, MI
- Sustainability Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Behavioral Health Science programs in East Lansing, MI
- Mental Health Counseling programs in East Lansing, MI
- Substance Abuse Counseling programs in East Lansing, MI
- Journalism programs in East Lansing, MI
- Public Relations programs in East Lansing, MI
- Communication Disorders programs in East Lansing, MI
- Speech Pathology programs in East Lansing, MI
- Technical Communication programs in East Lansing, MI
- Professional Writing programs in East Lansing, MI
- Strategic Communications programs in East Lansing, MI
- Business Development programs in East Lansing, MI
- Construction Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Economics programs in East Lansing, MI
- Financial Technology programs in East Lansing, MI
- Forensic Accounting programs in East Lansing, MI
- Health Information Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Hospitality Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- International Business programs in East Lansing, MI
- Organizational Leadership programs in East Lansing, MI
- Management Information Systems programs in East Lansing, MI
- Nonprofit Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Operations Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Public Administration programs in East Lansing, MI
- Real Estate programs in East Lansing, MI
- Recreation Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Retail Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Risk Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Statistics programs in East Lansing, MI
- Taxation programs in East Lansing, MI
- Corrections programs in East Lansing, MI
- Crime Analysis programs in East Lansing, MI
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in East Lansing, MI
- Criminology programs in East Lansing, MI
- Cybercrime programs in East Lansing, MI
- Emergency Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Fire Science programs in East Lansing, MI
- Forensic Science programs in East Lansing, MI
- Legal Services programs in East Lansing, MI
- Legal Studies programs in East Lansing, MI
- Paralegal programs in East Lansing, MI
- Security Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Cloud Computing programs in East Lansing, MI
- Computer Engineering programs in East Lansing, MI
- Innovation programs in East Lansing, MI
- Mobile App Development programs in East Lansing, MI
- Software Development programs in East Lansing, MI
- User Experience programs in East Lansing, MI
- Web Development programs in East Lansing, MI
- Artificial Intelligence programs in East Lansing, MI
- Machine Learning programs in East Lansing, MI
- Supply Chain Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Data Analytics programs in East Lansing, MI
- Public Health programs in East Lansing, MI
- Human Resources programs in East Lansing, MI
- Project Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Special Education programs in East Lansing, MI
- Homeland Security programs in East Lansing, MI
- Marketing programs in East Lansing, MI
- Finance programs in East Lansing, MI
- Kinesiology programs in East Lansing, MI
- Sports Management programs in East Lansing, MI
- Early Childhood Education programs in East Lansing, MI
- Elementary Education programs in East Lansing, MI
- Biology programs in East Lansing, MI
- Communications programs in East Lansing, MI
- Graphic Design programs in East Lansing, MI
- Human Services programs in East Lansing, MI
- MBA programs in East Lansing, MI
- Criminal Justice programs in East Lansing, MI
- Nursing programs in East Lansing, MI
- Business Administration programs in East Lansing, MI
- Computer Science programs in East Lansing, MI
- Psychology programs in East Lansing, MI
- Education programs in East Lansing, MI
- Engineering programs in East Lansing, MI
- Technology programs in East Lansing, MI
- Liberal Arts programs in East Lansing, MI
- Healthcare programs in East Lansing, MI
- Cybersecurity programs in East Lansing, MI
- Accounting programs in East Lansing, MI
- Healthcare Administration programs in East Lansing, MI
- Social Work programs in East Lansing, MI
- Counseling programs in East Lansing, MI
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 Michigan (2026)
