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# Best Pastoral Counseling Programs in Pennsylvania (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

This page ranks the 5 Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries programs in Pennsylvania by the median earnings of Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries graduates four years after completing. Cairn University-Langhorne leads the list with median earnings of $47,805 for its graduates four years after completing.

Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $47,805 to $29,685, with a median of $38,779. For 2 of the 5 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

All 5 schools on the list are 5 private nonprofits. Lancaster Bible College posts the lowest average net price at $25,480, while Eastern University has the highest admission rate, admitting 91% of applicants.

Eastern University ranks 1138th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

5 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Cairn University-Langhorne · Langhorne, PA | $47,805 | $27,642 | $24,029 | 88.2% |
|  | Cairn University-Langhorne reports median earnings of $47,805 for its Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries graduates four years after completing, the top figure on this list. |
| 2 | University of Valley Forge · Phoenixville, PA | $40,407 | $32,265 | $30,614 | 61.2% |
|  | University of Valley Forge admits 61% of applicants and shows a median federal debt of $27,000 across all of University of Valley Forge's borrowers who completed. |
| 3 | Lancaster Bible College · Lancaster, PA | $38,779 | $25,480 | $24,486 | 55.9% |
|  | Lancaster Bible College carries an average net price of $25,480, the lowest among the five programs, and its earnings cohort of 29 graduates is the largest on the page. |
| 4 | Eastern University · Saint Davids, PA | $29,685 | $26,662 | $26,557 | 90.8% |
|  | Eastern University has an admission rate of 91% and median earnings of $29,685 four years after completing. |
| 5 | Geneva College · Beaver Falls, PA | $29,685 | $25,890 | $20,283 | Not reported |
|  | Geneva College posts median earnings of $29,685 four years after completing and an average net price of $20,283 for families earning under $30,000. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in Pennsylvania appear. The figure covers federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled. For 2 of the 5 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range from Cairn University-Langhorne to the bottom of the list spans $18,120, with a gap of $7,398 between Cairn University-Langhorne and University of Valley Forge.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Colleges in Pennsylvania](/rankings/best-colleges-in-pennsylvania/)