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

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

Syracuse, New York has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs. Syracuse has a population of about 146,211. Median household income is $45,845 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Syracuse, NY metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $78,610 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Syracuse

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

St Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry

Rochester, NY 69.9 miles from Syracuse
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School

Rochester, NY 73.1 miles from Syracuse
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Elim Bible Institute and College

Lima, NY 74.9 miles from Syracuse
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Avg net price $8,840/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Roberts Wesleyan University

Rochester, NY 83.7 miles from Syracuse
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,031
Avg net price $23,130/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Northeastern Seminary

Rochester, NY 83.8 miles from Syracuse
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Houghton University

Houghton, NY 110.6 miles from Syracuse
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,721
Avg net price $20,519/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Davis College

Pottersville, NY 126.4 miles from Syracuse
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,450
Avg net price $12,875/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

St Bonaventure University

Saint Bonaventure, NY 136.2 miles from Syracuse
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,214
Avg net price $27,074/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Syracuse

Syracuse is part of the Syracuse, NY metro area (BLS area code 45060). 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$48,770Syracuse, NY$50,961
Director of Religious Activities and Education$48,660Syracuse, NY$50,846
Religious Worker, All Other$51,150NY statewide$53,448
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$78,610Syracuse, NY$82,142

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.

Syracuse at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population146,211Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$45,845Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+30.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Syracuse-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Syracuse, NY?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Syracuse. The closest is St Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry in Rochester, NY (69.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Northeastern Seminary (83.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Syracuse?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Syracuse are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($78,610), Religious Worker, All Other ($51,150), Clergy ($48,770). 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 Auburn instead of Syracuse?

Auburn, NY is 22.7 miles from Syracuse 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 Syracuse an affordable place to study theology?

Syracuse’s median household income of $45,845 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Syracuse 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 Syracuse

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

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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