Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Roanoke, VA (2026)

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

Roanoke, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs. Roanoke has a population of about 98,677. Median household income is $52,671 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Virginia, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $85,310 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Roanoke

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

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA 42.9 miles from Roanoke
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
35.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,813
Avg net price $29,357/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 178

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Virginia University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg, VA 45.0 miles from Roanoke
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $28,396
Avg net price $21,253/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 5

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg, VA 101.2 miles from Roanoke
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,869
Avg net price $24,588/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Virginia Union University

Richmond, VA 139.0 miles from Roanoke
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
37.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,275
Avg net price $13,235/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond, VA 139.2 miles from Roanoke
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Shenandoah University

Winchester, VA 163.0 miles from Roanoke
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,433
Avg net price $30,298/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Ascent College

Gainesville, VA 165.1 miles from Roanoke
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Regent University

Virginia Beach, VA 210.2 miles from Roanoke
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
34.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 38%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,498
Avg net price $19,923/yr
Tuition
In‑state$21,650
Out‑of‑state$21,650
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 88

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

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

Theology Wages Near Roanoke

Roanoke is part of the Roanoke, VA metro area (BLS area code 40220). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$53,130Roanoke, VA$56,763
Director of Religious Activities and Education$59,020VA statewide$63,056
Religious Worker, All Other$48,210VA statewide$51,506
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$85,310VA statewide$91,143

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.

Roanoke at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population98,677Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$52,671Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+28.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Roanoke-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Roanoke, VA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Roanoke. The closest is Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA (42.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Wake Forest University (81.1 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Roanoke?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Roanoke are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($85,310), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($59,020), Clergy ($53,130). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Salem instead of Roanoke?

Salem, VA is 5.4 miles from Roanoke 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 Roanoke an affordable place to study theology?

Roanoke’s median household income of $52,671 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Roanoke while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Roanoke

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

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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