FEATURED
‘Differences in educational missions and outcomes’ for students pursuing ministry degrees should be considered, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities says
A proposed federal rule that would cut off student loans for degrees that consistently lead to low-earning jobs may prompt changes in the way pastors are trained, according to a higher education funding expert.
Meanwhile, leaders of two Christian higher education groups told The College Fix that the rule does not take into consideration several key factors in the pursuit of ministry, including that income is not necessarily a measure of success.
The goal of the U.S. Department of Education rule is to “break the cycle of low return on investment for students and taxpayers,” according to a news release. It is a response to “more students [being] left financially worse off than if they had never attended college.”
If enacted, the rule will cut off federal student loans for programs that pour into fields that don’t offer more money than high school graduates. Some worry this will discourage students from seeking a religious education during a time when fewer Americans are studying to become pastors.
The potential issues the rule might cause for seminaries and other religious higher education institutions are statistically severe. According to a news release by the Defense of Freedom Institute, 53 percent of religious undergraduate programs and 89 percent of master’s programs would be cut off from federal loans if the rule goes into effect.
Preston Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, recently spoke with The College Fix about the rule and its potential impact on the pastoral shortage.
“There are other factors that affect which careers people choose, of course, but lower pay is one of the key reasons that certain professions, including clergy, are struggling to attract workers,” he said in an interview via email.
Cooper pointed out that the rule “does not require that these programs shut down—but it does require that they seek non-student loan sources of funding, such as philanthropy.”
“Religious institutions could address the shortage by increasing compensation for clergy, or by demanding less formal education so students don’t have to take on debt to pursue these careers,” he said.
Cooper also emphasized that “federal student loans are meant to increase borrowers’ earnings potential. But that is not always a core part of the mission of religious schools.”
The Rev. Dr. Philip Dearborn, president of the Association for Biblical Higher Education, agreed with Cooper about the mission of religious education. However, his organization opposes the rule as it is currently written.
“While vocational preparation is certainly one outcome of higher education, it is far from the whole picture, especially within Christian higher education,” he told The Fix in a May 14 interview.
Regarding the rule, he pointed out that its “Do No Harm” earnings requirements do “not adequately account for several key financial realities within our sector: the overall cost of attendance, the amount students borrow, and student loan default rates.
“Across all three of these measures, Christian colleges and universities consistently perform significantly better than national averages,” Dearborn told The Fix.
A spokesperson for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities also expressed concerns about the rule in an interview last week with The Fix.
“Financial outcomes matter but do not fully measure whether an education and a specific degree is worthwhile in the long run,” Alan Haven said via email, noting that success in religious professions is often measured outside of income.
Asked whether religious education should be tied to government money, Haven responded that “as a general principle the CCCU supports legislative and regulatory efforts to promote fiscal discipline in government benefit programs, while reaffirming the importance of criteria and standards, as well as accountability measures.”
At the same time, Haven said the council also believes “differences in educational missions and outcomes” for students pursuing ministry degrees should also be taken into account.
MORE: Baptist college trains pastors for second vocation as teacher
Cooper with the American Enterprise Institute agreed that the rule could “further exacerbate” the clergy shortage. However, he also believes there is a silver lining to the situation.
“Churches are recognizing the challenge and taking ownership of the responsibility to raise up future leaders rather than assuming someone else will solve the problem for them. They are experimenting with creative approaches to theological education, discipleship, mentoring, internships, and hands-on ministry formation,” Cooper explained, adding that, “That kind of innovation and partnership can strengthen the broader ministry ecosystem.”
He praised Highlands College in Alabama as an example: “Although the institution is eligible to participate in Title IV programs, it has intentionally chosen not to do so, instead building a different financial model centered on mission alignment, church partnership, and donor support. By many measures, that approach has proven both sustainable and effective.”
However, he also cautioned government leaders against “creat[ing] policies that unintentionally discourage students from pursuing ministry preparation altogether. The need for well-trained, spiritually mature, and resilient church leaders is not diminishing.”
Cooper said there are a “growing number” of alternative educational pathways for church leadership roles. But he said some “lack the depth of foundational biblical and theological education that is essential for shaping faithful ministry practice over the long term.”
“The ability to communicate clearly, lead with humility, navigate conflict, counsel wisely, and care for people compassionately is often developed intentionally through mentoring, community life, discipleship, and formative educational experiences. Those dimensions are frequently underemphasized or missing altogether in some newer or less comprehensive training models,” he told The Fix.
“Economic realities certainly matter, and students today are understandably sensitive to questions of debt, financial stability, and career prospects,” he told The Fix. “Yet a college education has always been about more than earning potential alone. It is also about formation, purpose, calling, character, and preparing individuals to contribute meaningfully to society and to the communities they serve.”
MORE: Harvard to ban ‘religious worship’ in new building to secure $675M in public bonds
