Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Lancaster, SC (2026)

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

Lancaster, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs. Lancaster has a population of about 8,738. Median household income is $43,234 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.3% 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 Lancaster

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

Columbia International University

Columbia, SC 47.9 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,951
Avg net price $26,036/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Allen University

Columbia, SC 51.2 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 18%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $30,497
Avg net price $10,972/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Morris College

Sumter, SC 59.7 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
12.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $30,614
Avg net price $20,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 44%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Bob Jones University

Greenville, SC 90.6 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,354
Avg net price $16,641/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

North Greenville University

Tigerville, SC 93.2 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
40.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,035
Avg net price $21,063/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Erskine College

Due West, SC 95.6 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,459
Avg net price $16,525/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Voorhees University

Denmark, SC 99.9 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $35,339
Avg net price $13,335/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Anderson University

Anderson, SC 106.8 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,101
Avg net price $23,544/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Lancaster

Lancaster 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 South 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/ASC 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.

Lancaster at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population8,738Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$43,234Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)97.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Lancaster-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Lancaster, SC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Lancaster. The closest is Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC (30.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Morris College (59.7 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Lancaster?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Lancaster 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 South Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Rock Hill instead of Lancaster?

Rock Hill, SC is 20.5 miles from Lancaster 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 Lancaster an affordable place to study theology?

Lancaster’s median household income of $43,234 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lancaster while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South 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 Lancaster

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

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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