Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Clayton, NC (2026)

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

Clayton, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs. Clayton has a population of about 28,043. Median household income is $73,348 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $64,740 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Clayton

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

Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College

Wendell, NC 9.9 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
43.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Avg net price $12,602/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Shaw University

Raleigh, NC 13.2 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
26.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,409
Avg net price $16,512/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 54%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Shepherds Theological Seminary

Cary, NC 17.6 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Wake Forest, NC 22.6 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Avg net price $13,090/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Campbell University

Buies Creek, NC 23.8 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,886
Avg net price $24,516/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Duke University

Durham, NC 36.2 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
82.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $97,800
Avg net price $29,612/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 144

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Carolina College of Biblical Studies

Fayetteville, NC 50.3 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
22.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $24,581
Avg net price $21,322/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 50%
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Manna University

Fayetteville, NC 50.6 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Avg net price $15,210/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Clayton

Clayton is part of the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area (BLS area code 39580). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$58,770Raleigh-Cary, NC$59,847
Director of Religious Activities and Education$63,280NC statewide$64,440
Religious Worker, All OtherN/ANC statewide–
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$64,740Raleigh-Cary, NC$65,927

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.

Clayton at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population28,043Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,348Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)98.2 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Clayton-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Clayton, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Clayton. The closest is Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College in Wendell, NC (9.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Campbell University (23.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Clayton?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Clayton are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($64,740), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($63,280), Clergy ($58,770). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Garner instead of Clayton?

Garner, NC is 10.0 miles from Clayton 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 Clayton an affordable place to study theology?

Clayton’s median household income of $73,348 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Clayton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Clayton

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

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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