Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Cleveland, OH (2026)

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

Cleveland, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs. Cleveland has a population of about 367,523. Median household income is $39,187 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cleveland, OH metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $76,830 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Cleveland

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer theology programs near Cleveland, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Cleveland 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 Cleveland. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

Lakewood University

Cleveland Heights, OH 7.2 miles from Cleveland
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Ursuline College

Pepper Pike, OH 11.2 miles from Cleveland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,878
Avg net price $16,164/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Rabbinical College Telshe

Wickliffe, OH 12.9 miles from Cleveland
  • 4 year
42.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Avg net price $10,398/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Walsh University

North Canton, OH 44.7 miles from Cleveland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,764
Avg net price $20,493/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Malone University

Canton, OH 47.7 miles from Cleveland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,909
Avg net price $20,948/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Ashland University

Ashland, OH 54.0 miles from Cleveland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
52.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,928
Avg net price $21,988/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,210
Out‑of‑state$31,210
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 75

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Franciscan University of Steubenville

Steubenville, OH 94.0 miles from Cleveland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,030
Avg net price $23,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Winebrenner Theological Seminary

Findlay, OH 106.4 miles from Cleveland
  • 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 Ohio schools on the Ohio theology page.

Theology Wages Near Cleveland

Cleveland is part of the Cleveland, OH metro area (BLS area code 17410). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Ohio statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$59,210Cleveland, OH$63,056
Director of Religious Activities and Education$49,340OH statewide$52,545
Religious Worker, All Other$40,780OH statewide$43,429
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$76,830Cleveland, OH$81,821

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.

Cleveland at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population367,523Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$39,187Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+21.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Cleveland-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Cleveland, OH?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Cleveland. The closest is Lakewood University in Cleveland Heights, OH (7.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Malone University (47.7 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Cleveland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Cleveland are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($76,830), Clergy ($59,210), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($49,340). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Ohio statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Garfield Heights instead of Cleveland?

Garfield Heights, OH is 5.6 miles from Cleveland 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 Cleveland an affordable place to study theology?

Cleveland’s median household income of $39,187 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cleveland while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio 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 Cleveland

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

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 Ohio (2026)