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

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

Lincolnton, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $31,900 to $47,091 per year for indexed programs. Lincolnton has a population of about 11,503. Median household income is $43,294 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $70,840 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Lincolnton

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

Belmont Abbey College

Belmont, NC 18.5 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,937
Avg net price $24,639/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory, NC 19.0 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
41.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 85%
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,543
Avg net price $20,689/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,900
Out‑of‑state$31,900
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs, NC 28.9 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
44.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,039
Avg net price $17,674/yr
Tuition
In‑state$34,760
Out‑of‑state$34,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary

Charlotte, NC 35.7 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,696
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 50%
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Hood Theological Seminary

Salisbury, NC 44.2 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Carolina University

Winston-Salem, NC 69.8 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
26.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,864
Avg net price $20,828/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, NC 70.5 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
79.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,158
Avg net price $28,719/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Carolina Christian College

Winston Salem, NC 72.0 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
16.8 BOC Score
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,672
Avg net price $22,366/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 27%
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Lincolnton

Lincolnton is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (BLS area code 16740). 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$60,760Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$62,446
Director of Religious Activities and Education$63,650Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$65,416
Religious Worker, All OtherN/ANC statewide–
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$70,840Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$72,806

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.

Lincolnton at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population11,503Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$43,294Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+19.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)97.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Lincolnton-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Lincolnton, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Lincolnton. The closest is Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, NC (18.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hood Theological Seminary (44.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Lincolnton?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Lincolnton are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($70,840), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($63,650), Clergy ($60,760). 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 Gastonia instead of Lincolnton?

Gastonia, NC is 15.8 miles from Lincolnton 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 Lincolnton an affordable place to study theology?

Lincolnton’s median household income of $43,294 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lincolnton 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 Lincolnton

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

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 North Carolina (2026)