Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Clarksville, TN (2026)

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

Clarksville, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $42,540 to $62,570 per year for indexed programs. Clarksville has a population of about 171,897. Median household income is $66,786 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Tennessee, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $74,090 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Clarksville

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

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN 41.9 miles from Clarksville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
91.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $91,565
Avg net price $15,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 157

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Belmont University

Nashville, TN 42.8 miles from Clarksville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
61.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,930
Avg net price $33,147/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,540
Out‑of‑state$42,540
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 103

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

#3

Lipscomb University

Nashville, TN 44.0 miles from Clarksville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,541
Avg net price $24,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 107

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, TN 44.1 miles from Clarksville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,378
Avg net price $16,813/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Welch College

Gallatin, TN 46.3 miles from Clarksville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
34.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,198
Avg net price $25,263/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Union University

Jackson, TN 104.7 miles from Clarksville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,990
Avg net price $27,171/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Freed-Hardeman University

Henderson, TN 106.4 miles from Clarksville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,485
Avg net price $21,574/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

The University of the South

Sewanee, TN 123.4 miles from Clarksville
  • 4 year
63.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,911
Avg net price $27,872/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Clarksville

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Tennessee, statewide)
Clergy$57,260
Director of Religious Activities and Education$61,940
Religious Worker, All Other$43,980
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$74,090

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.

Clarksville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population171,897Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,786Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+30.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)90.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Clarksville-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Clarksville, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Clarksville. The closest is Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN (41.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Welch College (46.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles in Tennessee?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles in Tennessee are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($74,090), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($61,940), Clergy ($57,260). Wages for Clarksville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Hopkinsville instead of Clarksville?

Hopkinsville, KY is 20.1 miles from Clarksville 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 Clarksville an affordable place to study theology?

Clarksville’s median household income of $66,786 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Clarksville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee 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 Clarksville

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

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 Tennessee (2026)