Theological and Ministerial Studies at Lincoln Christian University
Lincoln, IL · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeWorth Score (Base Case)
38
Optimistic
37
Base Case
35
Pessimistic
Earnings
$28,299/yr (-14% vs median)
AI Risk
Moderate (28% exposed)
Job Market
Large (36,100 openings/yr)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Theological and Ministerial Studies graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $324K | $281K | $243K |
| Earnings Multiple | 5.3x | 4.6x | 3.9x |
| Viable Career Paths | 3 of 3 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 3 |
| DegreeWorth Score | 38 | 37 | 35 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition
$61,600
Median Debt at Graduation
$17,151
7.3 months of Year 1 earnings
Career Paths
Where Theological and Ministerial Studies graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 36,100 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary | $78,050 | 2,000 | +0.7% | 51% |
| Clergy | $60,820 | 23,000 | +1.0% | 33% |
| Religious workers, all other | $45,120 | 11,100 | +0.6% | 0% |
Compare & Explore
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeWorth Score for Theological and Ministerial Studies at Lincoln Christian University?
This program scores 37/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI disruption risk, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 38 (optimistic) to 35 (pessimistic) depending on AI's impact.
How does AI affect Theological and Ministerial Studies career prospects?
We model three scenarios: Optimistic (no disruption), Base Case (gradual AI adoption), and Pessimistic (aggressive AI displacement). In the base case, Theological and Ministerial Studies graduates retain 3 of 3 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $243,221 (pessimistic) to $324,415 (optimistic).
How many job openings are there for Theological and Ministerial Studies graduates?
The career paths mapped to Theological and Ministerial Studies have roughly 36,100 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a large job market.
Is Theological and Ministerial Studies at Lincoln Christian University worth it?
In the Base Case, this degree earns 4.6x its in-state tuition over 10 years. Even in the Pessimistic scenario, the multiple is 3.9x. The spread between scenarios tells you how sensitive this degree is to AI disruption.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections.
"Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI.
Last updated 2025.