Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Lees Summit, MO (2026)

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

Lees Summit, Missouri has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $14,094 to $23,938 per year for indexed programs. Lees Summit has a population of about 89,467. In the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $61,040 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Lees Summit

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

Calvary University

Kansas City, MO 10.4 miles from Lees Summit
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
36.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 72%
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,421
Avg net price $16,334/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,094
Out‑of‑state$14,094
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Nazarene Theological Seminary

Kansas City, MO 11.8 miles from Lees Summit
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 5

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

City Vision University

Kansas City, MO 16.2 miles from Lees Summit
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
42.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $21,123
Avg net price $6,353/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Kansas City, MO 21.2 miles from Lees Summit
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
37.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,535
Avg net price $23,006/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Fayette, MO 92.5 miles from Lees Summit
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
31.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 57%
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,991
Avg net price $22,766/yr
Tuition
In‑state$28,260
Out‑of‑state$28,260
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Southwest Baptist University

Bolivar, MO 105.1 miles from Lees Summit
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,112
Avg net price $21,677/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Central Christian College of the Bible

Moberly, MO 109.8 miles from Lees Summit
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
32.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,675
Avg net price $14,356/yr
Tuition
In‑state$12,200
Out‑of‑state$12,200
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:Accreditor: Association for Biblical Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Ozark Christian College

Joplin, MO 125.5 miles from Lees Summit
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,297
Avg net price $20,580/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Lees Summit

Lees Summit is part of the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area (BLS area code 28140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Missouri statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$58,850Kansas City, MO-KS$63,622
Director of Religious Activities and Education$41,630Kansas City, MO-KS$45,005
Religious Worker, All Other$23,100Kansas City, MO-KS$24,973
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$61,040Kansas City, MO-KS$65,989

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.

Lees Summit at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Lees Summit-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Lees Summit, MO?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Lees Summit. The closest is Calvary University in Kansas City, MO (10.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Kansas Christian College (16.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Lees Summit?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Lees Summit are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($61,040), Clergy ($58,850), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($41,630). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Missouri statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Raytown instead of Lees Summit?

Raytown, MO is 6.9 miles from Lees Summit 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.

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 Lees Summit

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

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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