Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Criswell College #926 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Criswell College sits in the 70.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Criswell College #456 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions — reflecting outcomes for graduates entering ministry and theological vocations. Criswell College's composite ranking combines strong mobility outcomes with focused program offerings in theological studies. The institution serves students pursuing vocational ministry with outcomes that rank well among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Criswell College #926 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Criswell College is a private university located in Dallas, TX, enrolling approximately 132 undergraduates. The institution maintains a 1.0% freshman retention rate and a 50.0% six-year graduation rate. Criswell College draws strength from its focused academic mission centered on Theology. Azimuth ranks Criswell College #562 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $66,210, reflecting outcomes aligned with the specialized nature of the institution's degree programs and the career pathways they support. The institution enrolls 42.4% Pell-eligible undergraduates, serving students across a range of economic backgrounds. Affordability and access represent the institution's other key pillars. Criswell College sits in the 38.4 percentile for affordability and the 5.3 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Mobility outcomes place the institution in the 61.5 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. As a specialized institution with a distinctive theological focus, Criswell College serves students seeking education grounded in faith-based academic traditions and career preparation within faith-aligned sectors.
Criswell College's published cost of attendance is $27,748. Net price by income band reflects the institution's aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $20,353, middle-income families pay around $20,636, and higher-income families pay approximately $23,900. Azimuth ranks Criswell College #878 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Criswell College participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside institutional aid. Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid packaging. The institution's aid structure is designed to make theological education accessible across income levels, though affordability outcomes depend on individual family circumstances and borrowing decisions. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,346; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $66,210, median federal debt of $25,346 projects to a monthly payment of about $286 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios, use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Criswell College is a strong fit for students called to ministry and theological studies who want a focused, faith-based education in TX. The college's Theology programs represent 5% of degrees, creating a tight-knit academic community centered on religious vocation. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $66,210, placing Criswell College in the 70.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Criswell College #562 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The college maintains an open admissions policy, admitting 1.0% of applicants, and serves a modest population of Pell-eligible students (42.4%). This accessibility comes with median debt at graduation of $25,346, which students should weigh against their expected ministerial compensation. Fit depends on vocational alignment — Criswell College delivers strongest value for those pursuing church leadership or theological education rather than secular career paths. Students outside these callings may find better returns elsewhere.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the Criswell College hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Bible/Biblical Studies
13 graduates
Criswell College's program portfolio is concentrated in theological and religious studies — a signature aligned with the institution's identity as a private Christian seminary and college. The dominant program family is Theology, which accounts for the vast majority of the institution's degree output across 1 total programs.
This focused mission distinguishes Criswell from broad-based four-year institutions and shapes both the student population and career pathways available to graduates. The institution's largest program is Bible/Biblical Studies, which graduates 13 students annually.
Given Criswell's specialized focus, the earnings and career outcomes for graduates reflect pathways typical of theological education — many graduates pursue ordained ministry, pastoral roles, missionary work, or religious nonprofit leadership, where four-year earnings figures may undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to graduate or professional theological study. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) framework provides limited direct insight into theological labor markets, which operate through denominational networks and faith-based hiring rather than conventional secular labor-market demand signals.
For students discerning a calling to religious leadership or theological scholarship, Criswell's concentrated program depth and faith-centered community represent the core value proposition. Prospective students should recognize that four-year earnings data — the standard Azimuth metric — may not fully capture the long-term financial or vocational outcomes of seminary-track graduates, many of whom prioritize mission alignment over salary maximization.
Career outcomes and earning potential vary substantially by denomination, geographic region, and individual career choices within religious leadership.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trinity Bible College And Graduate School Similar quality tier (#28149 ranked) | ND | 26% | $35,604 | #28149 | Compare |
Orleans Technical College Similar quality tier (#27071 ranked) | PA | 80% | $38,668 | #27071 | Compare |
Luther Rice College & Seminary Similar quality tier (#28215 ranked) | GA | 92% | $47,003 | #28215 | Compare |
Trinity International University-Illinois Similar quality tier (#26005 ranked) | IL | 100% | $46,989 | #26005 | Compare |
Ecclesia College Similar quality tier in Southwest (#28249 ranked) | AR | 74% | $40,650 | #28249 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Criswell College's published cost of attendance is $27,748. Net price by income band reflects the institution's aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $20,353, middle-income families pay around $20,636, and higher-income families pay approximately $23,900.
Azimuth ranks Criswell College #878 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Criswell College participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside institutional aid. Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid packaging.
The institution's aid structure is designed to make theological education accessible across income levels, though affordability outcomes depend on individual family circumstances and borrowing decisions. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,346; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $66,210, median federal debt of $25,346 projects to a monthly payment of about $286 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios, use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Criswell College earn median 4-year earnings of $66,210, placing the institution in the 70.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Criswell College #562 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The earnings pattern reflects the institution's concentrated focus on Theology, where graduates move into pastoral, educational, and faith-based leadership roles that typically offer stable but modest early-career compensation relative to secular professional fields. Bible/Biblical Studies is the dominant program, drawing the largest cohort and anchoring the institution's economic profile.
Graduates in this field pursue roles in ministry, religious education, and faith-based organizational leadership — pathways that prioritize mission alignment and community impact over maximum early earnings. The institution's program portfolio is deliberately specialized, reflecting its theological mission rather than a broad-based university model.
For students whose primary goal is long-term financial maximization in high-earning secular fields, Criswell College is not the optimal choice; for those committed to faith-based vocations and willing to accept the earnings trade-off that accompanies mission-driven work, the institution delivers predictable outcomes aligned with those career expectations.
