Bachelor's · Lakeland, Florida

Is Theological and Ministerial Studies at Southeastern University worth it?

High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back slowly: graduates typically recover the cost in about 15.7 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating
$40,703
Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating
$47,375
Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation
$21,843
NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families
$145k (likely $145k – $186k)
AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4
$11k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in FL
2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback
15.7 years (likely 12.6–20+)
Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return
−$229k (likely −$314k – −$195k)
Today's dollars
20-year net return
−$83k (likely −$176k – $11k)
Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide)
43%
Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26

Change income, residency or loans Compare Theological and Ministerial Studies at other schools