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

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

Summerville, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs. Summerville has a population of about 51,262. Median household income is $78,621 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Carolina, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $77,230 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Summerville

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

Charleston Southern University

Charleston, SC 6.4 miles from Summerville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
35.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,898
Avg net price $21,666/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Voorhees University

Denmark, SC 58.7 miles from Summerville
  • 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

#3

Morris College

Sumter, SC 65.3 miles from Summerville
  • 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

Allen University

Columbia, SC 84.7 miles from Summerville
  • 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

#5

Columbia International University

Columbia, SC 90.2 miles from Summerville
  • 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

#6

Erskine College

Due West, SC 156.8 miles from Summerville
  • 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

Anderson University

Anderson, SC 175.7 miles from Summerville
  • 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

#8

Bob Jones University

Greenville, SC 180.0 miles from Summerville
  • 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

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

Theology Wages Near Summerville

Summerville is part of the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area (BLS area code 16700). 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$59,570Charleston-North Charleston, SC$58,980
Director of Religious Activities and Education$36,120SC statewide$35,762
Religious Worker, All OtherN/ASC statewide–
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$77,230SC statewide$76,465

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.

Summerville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population51,262Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$78,621Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)101.0 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Summerville-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Summerville, SC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Summerville. The closest is Charleston Southern University in Charleston, SC (6.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is South University-Savannah Online (87.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Summerville?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Summerville are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($77,230), Clergy ($59,570), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($36,120). 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 North Charleston instead of Summerville?

North Charleston, SC is 9.1 miles from Summerville 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 Summerville an affordable place to study theology?

Summerville’s median household income of $78,621 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Summerville 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 Summerville

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

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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