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

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

Stephenville, Texas has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $20,830 to $33,424 per year for indexed programs. Stephenville has a population of about 21,345. Median household income is $55,504 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Texas, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $76,700 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Stephenville

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer theology programs near Stephenville, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Stephenville 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 Stephenville. 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 53.7 miles from Stephenville
  • 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

Howard Payne University

Brownwood, TX 56.5 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
30.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,376
Avg net price $23,627/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 53%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Brite Divinity School

Fort Worth, TX 60.8 miles from Stephenville
  • 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

#4

Arlington Baptist University

Arlington, TX 71.9 miles from Stephenville
  • 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

#5

Messenger College

Bedford, TX 75.8 miles from Stephenville
  • 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

#6

Baylor University

Waco, TX 79.3 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 51%
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,793
Avg net price $41,104/yr
Tuition
In‑state$58,100
Out‑of‑state$58,100
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 141

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

#7

Nelson University

Waxahachie, TX 80.9 miles from Stephenville
  • 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

#8

The King's University

Southlake, TX 81.3 miles from Stephenville
  • 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

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

Theology Wages Near Stephenville

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Texas, statewide)
Clergy$59,480
Director of Religious Activities and Education$75,420
Religious Worker, All Other$36,420
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$76,700

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.

Stephenville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population21,345Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$55,504Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+33.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Stephenville-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Stephenville, TX?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Stephenville. The closest is Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, TX (53.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Messenger College (75.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles in Texas?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles in Texas are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($76,700), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($75,420), Clergy ($59,480). Wages for Stephenville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Granbury instead of Stephenville?

Granbury, TX is 30.9 miles from Stephenville 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 Stephenville an affordable place to study theology?

Stephenville’s median household income of $55,504 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Stephenville 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 Stephenville

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

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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