Employment Outlook for Bible College Graduates

The employment outlook for bible college graduates is promising so you can attend a school that embraces your faith and also get a good job! So you finished your degree at one of the best Bible institutions. Now it’s time to get your career rolling and find the best position your degree can give you. In America, there are many types of careers and employment for a graduate with a Bible college degree.

What is a Bible College Degree?

Bible colleges can be either evangelical, conservative, or Christian fundamentalist denominations. These schools are similar to other institutions of higher education in almost every way. However, most have a faith-based curriculum along with traditional education. These schools offer associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

Some jobs available only require an associate’s degree, while others may require the graduate to earn a bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university. In most cases, career positions for Bible school graduates require that the prospective candidate came from an accredited college or institution. Below are some of the possible accreditors that will help graduates meet this requirement.

Do Bible Colleges Have Accreditation?

In the United States, there are over 20 Bible colleges or Universities that provide academic accreditations through regional accreditors or international counterparts. In today’s world, the majority of private and public, Bible or Faith-based institutions that offer higher learning degrees hold some accreditations, whether it be through the state, region, or internationally.

Who Accredits Bible Colleges?

In the US, the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) accredits a wide range of colleges. The purpose of ABHE is to serve Christian postsecondary educational institutions by shaping lives of godly influence and service for maturing, thriving, and sustaining serious Bible learning.

Another Bible accreditor to consider is the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS). The TRACS accreditation serves as a voluntary, non-profit, self-governing organization that promotes the welfare, interests, and development of postsecondary institutions that offer a Christian purpose, as defined by the agency’s Foundational Standards.

One last accreditor, the Association of Independent Christian Colleges & Seminaries, serves over 500 schools, colleges, and universities in fifty-five nations around the world. The association is one of the largest, non-government accreditation associations in the world.

Professional Organizations for Bible College Grads

Below is a shortlist of other professional organizations for graduates of a bible college degree.

What Jobs Can You Get with a Bible College Degree?

Pastor or Minister

One of the most obvious choices for employment for graduates of a Biblical degree in an accredited college is a pastor or minister. In one of these roles, it is important to be ready to “feed the flock”. You must be a good shepherd for the parishioners or congregation they serve. However, many Bible colleges provide the best training in the Word of God. So these graduates with a calling to God are ready to lead! Additionally, some graduates who want to be pastors learn from highly trained theologians or educators of biblical studies.

Another career position for graduates of a Bible college degree is a counselor or social worker who is employed at a nonprofit organization, such as a soup kitchen or food bank that offers counseling services. Many of these services may be sponsored by a specific church or affiliate of a particular denomination.

Many bible college degree jobs may also include Bible translators, family & child social workers, guidance counselors, chaplains, and authors of biblical study material. The career list can be very broad yet also specific in nature. Bible college graduates come from all walks of life. Graduates may not have any previous background of biblical knowledge of the good book itself.

Reasons to earn a Bible college degree vary for each individual. Graduates may enter into the program to learn about the faith for themselves. Or they may want to pursue a Biblical studies program and educate others. Additionally, some go into ministry work because of the values on which their foundation is based.

Salary Outlook for Bible College Degree Jobs

The salary of a bible college degree graduate will vary depending on the career each graduate chooses. For instance, clergy, pastors, or ministers may earn a median salary of approximately $57,230 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

However, salary may also depend on location, denomination, and other factors. Many graduates work in church settings yet others may find they are more needed on the streets, working to help the poor, physically and spiritually.