Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Willmar, MN (2026)

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

Willmar, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $18,120 to $29,250 per year for indexed programs. Willmar has a population of about 21,136. Median household income is $63,368 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 24.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $79,720 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Willmar

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

Saint Johns University

Collegeville, MN 45.1 miles from Willmar
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,786
Avg net price $25,672/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

College of Saint Benedict

Saint Joseph, MN 46.9 miles from Willmar
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,260
Avg net price $26,640/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Martin Luther College

New Ulm, MN 63.3 miles from Willmar
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
64.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 87%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,491
Avg net price $18,463/yr
Tuition
In‑state$18,120
Out‑of‑state$18,120
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Crown College

Saint Bonifacius, MN 66.2 miles from Willmar
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
39.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,057
Avg net price $26,672/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

North Central University

Minneapolis, MN 88.2 miles from Willmar
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
43.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,064
Avg net price $25,817/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities

St. Paul, MN 91.1 miles from Willmar
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Luther Seminary

Saint Paul, MN 91.3 miles from Willmar
  • 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 Minnesota schools on the Minnesota theology page.

Theology Wages Near Willmar

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Minnesota, statewide)
Clergy$61,230
Director of Religious Activities and Education$50,110
Religious Worker, All Other$36,660
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$79,720

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.

Willmar at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population21,136Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$63,368Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+24.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Willmar-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Willmar, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Willmar. The closest is Saint Johns University in Collegeville, MN (45.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is North Central University (88.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles in Minnesota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles in Minnesota are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($79,720), Clergy ($61,230), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($50,110). Wages for Willmar workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Saint Cloud instead of Willmar?

Saint Cloud, MN is 51.5 miles from Willmar 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 Willmar an affordable place to study theology?

Willmar’s median household income of $63,368 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Willmar while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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 Willmar

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

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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