Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Cleburne, TX (2026)

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

Cleburne, Texas has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $20,830 to $34,504 per year for indexed programs. Cleburne has a population of about 32,966. Median household income is $66,324 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro area, the top-earning theology-related role is Director of Religious Activities and Education at a median $83,260 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Cleburne

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

Southwestern Adventist University

Keene, TX 5.9 miles from Cleburne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,946
Avg net price $22,778/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Brite Divinity School

Fort Worth, TX 24.5 miles from Cleburne
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,424
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 4

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

#3

Arlington Baptist University

Arlington, TX 30.4 miles from Cleburne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
25.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 14%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,644
Avg net price $24,906/yr
Tuition
In‑state$20,830
Out‑of‑state$20,830
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 42%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:Accreditor: Association for Biblical Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Nelson University

Waxahachie, TX 33.0 miles from Cleburne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
42.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 89%
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,238
Avg net price $21,662/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,064
Out‑of‑state$25,064
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 38

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

#5

Dallas Baptist University

Dallas, TX 36.6 miles from Cleburne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
43.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,807
Avg net price $28,516/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Messenger College

Bedford, TX 37.1 miles from Cleburne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
18.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 13%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $29,463
Avg net price $26,433/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

The King's University

Southlake, TX 43.7 miles from Cleburne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
34.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,471
Avg net price $14,140/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Dallas

Irving, TX 44.4 miles from Cleburne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,285
Avg net price $22,610/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Theology Wages Near Cleburne

Cleburne is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro area (BLS area code 19100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$60,040Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$58,235
Director of Religious Activities and Education$83,260Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$80,757
Religious Worker, All Other$30,560Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$29,641
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$76,730Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$74,423

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.

Cleburne at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population32,966Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,324Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+18.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)103.1 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Cleburne-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Cleburne, TX?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Cleburne. The closest is Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, TX (5.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Dallas Baptist University (36.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Cleburne?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Cleburne are: Director of Religious Activities and Education ($83,260), Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($76,730), Clergy ($60,040). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Burleson instead of Cleburne?

Burleson, TX is 12.2 miles from Cleburne 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 Cleburne an affordable place to study theology?

Cleburne’s median household income of $66,324 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cleburne while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Cleburne

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

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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