Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Sterling Heights, MI

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

Sterling Heights, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $35,410 to $51,853 per year for indexed programs. Sterling Heights has a population of about 133,473. Median household income is $78,429 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $83,620 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Sterling Heights

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

Rochester University

Rochester Hills, MI 8.3 miles from Sterling Heights
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
41.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,707
Avg net price $21,456/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Sacred Heart Major Seminary

Detroit, MI 14.8 miles from Sterling Heights
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,295
Avg net price $11,916/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Ecumenical Theological Seminary

Detroit, MI 16.4 miles from Sterling Heights
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 30%
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Concordia University Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI 39.5 miles from Sterling Heights
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
42.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 69%
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,075
Avg net price $32,811/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,410
Out‑of‑state$35,410
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 54%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI 68.8 miles from Sterling Heights
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,529
Avg net price $17,124/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, MI 82.0 miles from Sterling Heights
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,732
Avg net price $19,353/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Great Lakes Christian College

Lansing, MI 82.6 miles from Sterling Heights
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
28.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,053
Avg net price $15,524/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 51%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Calvin Theological Seminary

Grand Rapids, MI 131.9 miles from Sterling Heights
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:Accreditor: Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological SchoolsIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Sterling Heights

Sterling Heights is part of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area (BLS area code 19820). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$59,890Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$59,711
Director of Religious Activities and Education$49,700Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$49,551
Religious Worker, All Other$46,720Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$46,580
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$83,620Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$83,370

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.

Sterling Heights at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population133,473Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$78,429Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)100.3 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Sterling Heights-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Sterling Heights, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Sterling Heights. The closest is Rochester University in Rochester Hills, MI (8.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Siena Heights University (68.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Sterling Heights?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Sterling Heights are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($83,620), Clergy ($59,890), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($49,700). 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 Troy instead of Sterling Heights?

Troy, MI is 5.9 miles from Sterling Heights 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 Sterling Heights an affordable place to study theology?

Sterling Heights’s median household income of $78,429 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sterling Heights 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 Sterling Heights

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

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)