Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Newark, NJ (2026)

Newark, New Jersey has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $25,900 to $38,047 per year for indexed programs. Newark has a population of about 307,188. Median household income is $48,416 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $101,210 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Theology Schools to Newark

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

Pillar College

Newark, NJ 1.0 miles from Newark
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
48.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,577
Avg net price $8,470/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,900
Out‑of‑state$25,900
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Theology Wages Near Newark

Newark is part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area (BLS area code 35620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New Jersey statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$61,860New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$54,938
Director of Religious Activities and Education$59,170New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$52,549
Religious Worker, All Other$51,120New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$45,400
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$101,210New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$89,885

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.


Newark at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population307,188Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$48,416Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)112.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Newark-Area Cities With Theology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Newark, NJ?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Newark. The closest is Pillar College in Newark, NJ (1.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership (10.2 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Newark?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Newark are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($101,210), Clergy ($61,860), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($59,170). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New Jersey statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Kearny instead of Newark?

Kearny, NJ is 3.4 miles from Newark 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 Newark an affordable place to study theology?

Newark’s median household income of $48,416 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Newark while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New Jersey 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 Newark

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

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.