Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Poughkeepsie, NY (2026)

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

Poughkeepsie, New York has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs. Poughkeepsie has a population of about 31,778. Median household income is $60,050 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $77,500 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Poughkeepsie

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

Yonkers, NY 50.4 miles from Poughkeepsie
  • 4 year
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Academy for Jewish Religion

Yonkers, NY 52.4 miles from Poughkeepsie
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

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

#3

Fordham University

Bronx, NY 57.8 miles from Poughkeepsie
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $85,569
Avg net price $44,338/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 109

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Yeshiva University

New York, NY 58.3 miles from Poughkeepsie
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,353
Avg net price $49,965/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Jewish Theological Seminary of America

New York, NY 61.0 miles from Poughkeepsie
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
76.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 49%
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,751
Avg net price $43,195/yr
Tuition
In‑state$67,357
Out‑of‑state$67,357
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York

New York, NY 61.1 miles from Poughkeepsie
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

New York Theological Seminary

New York, NY 61.1 miles from Poughkeepsie
  • 4 year
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership

New York, NY 65.1 miles from Poughkeepsie
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Poughkeepsie

Poughkeepsie is part of the Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY metro area (BLS area code 28880). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$60,340Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$55,155
Director of Religious Activities and Education$48,050Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$43,921
Religious Worker, All Other$47,010Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$42,971
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$77,500Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$70,841

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.

Poughkeepsie at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population31,778Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$60,050Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)109.4 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Poughkeepsie-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Poughkeepsie, NY?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Poughkeepsie. The closest is Saint Vladimirs Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, NY (50.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Yeshiva University (58.3 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Poughkeepsie?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Poughkeepsie are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($77,500), Clergy ($60,340), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($48,050). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Newburgh instead of Poughkeepsie?

Newburgh, NY is 14.2 miles from Poughkeepsie 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 Poughkeepsie an affordable place to study theology?

Poughkeepsie’s median household income of $60,050 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Poughkeepsie while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York 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 Poughkeepsie

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

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 New York (2026)