2023's Best Online Master of Divinity (MDiv) Programs

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Are you considering an online Master of Divinity degree? Through our website, explore the wide range of programs available in online and hybrid formats. Consider God’s specific call on your life, and choose one to help you fulfill it. Look for a good fit in program length, concentrations offered, preparation for ordination or licensure (if applicable), doctrine consistent with Scripture and your faith, and one that meshes well with your lifestyle and needs. Most of all, pray and follow God’s lead! We’ve highlighted 21 great MDiv programs to kick off your search. Or, jump down to our complete directory of online MDiv programs across the U.S.

How to Choose the Best MDiv Program

First and foremost, pray! Follow God’s faithful lead into the purpose He designed you for. Seek godly counsel—God often directs us with instruction, encouragement, and affirmation from other believers and the Bible. Use wisdom as you seek schools that align with your spiritual beliefs, denominational affiliation, career requirements and interests, desired location, family needs, and current lifestyle. Speak with your family, mentors, church leaders—even faculty and staff at prospective universities—to research programs and find a good fit. Consider these questions:

What end degree will meet the requirements for your career? Will you need to continue to a doctorate, or will an MDiv suffice?
Does the school’s Statement of Faith align with your beliefs on basic doctrines?
Ask for sample schedules. Should you extend your studies from the traditional 3–4 to 5–7 years? What is the maximum time allowed for degree completion? Can you start slow and increase your pace over time if needed?
Does the school offer Advanced Placement options for those with ministry experience or school credits in similar degree programs?
Are scholarships/financial aid (e.g., loans) available to part-time students? Do they require you to take a minimum number of credit hours per semester?
Does your career of interest require residential vs. online credit hours? If so, how many? (Some federal positions do, including prison chaplains.)
Would an alternative degree suit your interests better? (An MA in biblical studies or theology focuses more on academic scholarship than pastoring.) Or, can you transfer credits from a current MA to an MDiv?
Where do graduates of the program currently serve? Does pastoring in your denomination require an MDiv degree with any specifications?
Does the school offer your concentration of choice?
Are internships or other types of in-the-field training available? Will potential employers require this? These can especially help in a current ministry context.
How does the school build an online community? Will you forfeit in-depth interaction with faculty and other students online?
Are all courses available online, with full access to library and course materials? Will you effectively learn Greek and Hebrew in this format?

We’ve featured some excellent online MDiv programs in our rankings. Still, no program suits everyone, and no ranking is perfect. You may find that #20 meets your needs more than our #1, or that a school without rank holds more weight in your faith community than any on our list. Scroll down to our directory and explore all the options available to you.

Methodology

To rank the schools offering online Masters of Divinity programs, we utilized data from numerous sources, including the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System from the National Center for Education Statistics. We considered a variety of factors in our rankings and awarded high marks to schools that presented well across most or all of these categories:

Accreditation: We’ve exclusively listed accredited schools, with particular emphasis on Association of Theological Schools (ATS) accreditation, but we also mention regional and other accreditations. We also utilized the ATS website to capture the denominational affiliation of each school.
Tuition Price: We only considered tuition costs for full-time graduate programs. Schools with lower tuition rates scored higher in our ranking system (no maximum cost included).
Reputation & Awards: Schools receiving awards or positive recognition by outside sources also gained merit in our system (e.g., those included in rankings such as the US News and World Report’s top national universities or the QS World University Rankings for theology, divinity, and religious studies).
Student Success: We evaluated data on the proportion of students who graduated with their masters in divinity, theology, or ministry at each university, reflecting institutions’ success in fully educating and equipping their students for a career in ministry.

Best Online MDiv Programs

1. Emory University

Hybrid Master of Divinity

Availability: Online + At Least 5 In-Person Intensives
School: Candler School of Theology (United Methodist Church)
Accreditation: ATS; SACSCOC
Estimated Tuition: $76,320 + Fees (Part-Time)

Want the best of both worlds? Emory’s hybrid online MDiv offers on-campus intensives, online courses, and tailored programs. Choose from six dual degrees that combine the MDiv with another degree (e.g., social work). Or add a graduate certificate to your program.

You can also focus your studies with a concentration, such as Chaplaincy, or Religion and Race. Plus, Emory’s Contextual Education courses are created for you to obtain real-life experience in a church, ministry, or social services setting.

Emory University tends toward a more liberal theology, and their MDiv may be a good fit if you’re interested in addressing social issues. The school provides great flexibility in training students for ministry across many fields, even offering specialized coursework targeting the ordination requirements for various denominations.

Explore Emory’s Online MDiv

2. Biola University

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: 100% Online or Hybrid
School: Talbot School of Theology (Interdenominational; Evangelical Christian)
Accreditation: ATS; WSCUC
Estimated Tuition: $54,510 + Fees

Sit under world-class scholars in Biola’s MDiv program. Whether you pursue the degree 100% online or in a hybrid fashion, you have many diverse tracks to choose from. These include six concentrations, some fulfilling the requirements for church, missions, or parachurch ministry ordination.

If you want to dive deep into the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, consider a concentration in Messianic Jewish Studies. Whatever path you choose, Biola offers an education with sound biblical and theological foundations as well as practical training in ministry.

With an interdenominational and theologically conservative bent, Biola University holds fast to the inerrancy of God’s Word and promotes a culture of Spirit-led spiritual development for their students. As such, it has emerged as a popular destination for Christian education.

Explore Biola’s Online MDiv

3. Harding University

Hybrid Master of Divinity

Availability: Online with On-Campus Residencies
School: Harding School of Theology (Churches of Christ)
Accreditation: ATS; HLC
Estimated Tuition: $58,275 + Fees

Do you worship in the Church of Christ? If so, Harding’s online MDiv program may be a good fit, as it exists primarily to train ministers for church positions in this denomination.

You can study in person or online, as long as you fulfill at least nine hours of classes on Harding’s Memphis, Tennessee campus. Distance courses are provided via a “LIVE” format, where students can access classes in three hour blocks by video, if they prefer not to attend in person.

Harding’s theological school is affiliated with Harding University’s main campus in Searcy, Arkansas, also a Church of Christ educational institution. While it encourages rigorous academic study, its Memphis location offers students a broad range of opportunities for ministry while pursuing their theological education.

Explore Harding’s Online MDiv

4. George Fox University

Hybrid Master of Divinity

Availability: Online + Per Semester BridgeWeeks
School: Portland Seminary (Interdenominational; Wesleyan)
Accreditation: ATS; NWCCU
Estimated Tuition: $44,496 + Fees

Set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Portland Seminary of George Fox University offers a hybrid MDiv program that combines online education with focused, in-person instruction (twice a year).

It emphasizes the spiritual growth of students, readying them to carry the transformative presence of Christ into any ministry or career path. You may find the smaller student population and lower cost of education at this school attractive as well.

George Fox, with Quaker roots promoting peaceful nonviolence, provides a culturally diverse and intellectually open climate to enrich your theological education. Its interdenominational campus boasts a student body representing 47 denominations, 40 states, and 10 countries. This moderately liberal, Wesleyan-leaning seminary was ranked in 2022 as a “Best National University” by U.S. News and World Report.

Explore George Fox’s Online MDiv

5. Regent University

Online Master of Divinity in Theology & Ministry

Availability: 100% Online
School: Regent University School of Divinity (Interdenominational)
Accreditation: ATS; SACSCOC
Estimated Tuition: $38,160 + Fees

Regent’s online MDiv in Theology and Ministry aims to create world-changers, developing students’ capacity to lead both personally and professionally. With over fourteen concentrations to choose from (including Worship and Media and Marketplace Ministry), the program will prepare you to apply the knowledge and skill you gain to your unique calling, however specific.

It also provides on-campus and hybrid options if you prefer these to a completely online track. This moderately priced program offers a variety of tuition discounts, including one for those who have served in the military.

A private Christian university founded by Pat Robertson in the late 1970s, Regent’s 70-acre campus sits on the coast of beautiful Virginia Beach, Virginia. It remains interdenominational, serving students from nearly every denomination and many countries worldwide.

Explore Regent’s Online MDiv

6. Abilene Christian University

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: Online with On-Campus Intensives
School: Graduate School of Theology (Churches of Christ)
Accreditation: ATS; SACSCOC
Estimated Tuition: $56,088 + Fees

Ready to dive deeper into God’s Word? The online MDiv from Abilene Christian University specializes in building students’ knowledge and interpretation of Scripture, while cultivating their ability to apply theology to their individual cultures.

It also provides local mentors who are available for prayer and discussion as students move through the degree program.

Only twelve residential credit hours are required, which you can complete over a one-week period or a weekend on-campus in Abilene or Dallas, or even at their campuses in Swaziland or Ghana!

Although affiliated with the Church of Christ, ACU encourages students to learn from the numerous Christian perspectives represented in their student body. In particular, the Baptist Studies Center affords students from this persuasion the resources to pursue training aligned with Baptist theology.

Explore ACU’s Online MDiv

7. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: 100% Online & On-Campus Concentrations
School: School of Theology; Billy Graham School (Southern Baptist Convention)
Accreditation: ATS; SACSCOC
Estimated Tuition: $26,224 + Fees (SBC Rate); $37,840 + Fees (Non-SBC)

Become fully equipped with Southern Seminary’s online MDiv program, offered through one of two tracks: the School of Theology or the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Ministry.

Choose from seven fully online concentrations (twelve total), including Islamic Studies, Biblical Counseling, and Apologetics and Philosophy, as you undertake a comprehensive degree program (88–94 credits depending on concentration) that will prepare you for work in the Word, the church, or the ripe and ready harvest fields.

A premier Southern Baptist seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, SBTS lowers its tuition rates substantially for student members of Southern Baptist Convention churches. But even non-affiliated students pay reasonable costs for an education.

If you’re interested, consider a campus visit. Southern extends a limited, complimentary hotel stay for potential students.

Explore SBTS’s Online MDiv

8. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: 100% Online & On-Campus Concentrations
School: Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Southern Baptist Convention)
Accreditation: ATS; SACSCOC
Estimated Tuition: $25,912 + Fees (SBC Rate); $51,906 + Fees (Non-SBC)

Southeastern Seminary rivals its counterparts with its online MDiv program. It presents many concentration choices, such as Church Revitalization, International Church Planting and a dual MBA/MDiv option.

Along with sensible costs, the program boasts the standard reduced tuition rates for Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) students, but also for military personnel, and awards the highest number of scholarships of any degree program at the school.

Does your heart burn to share the gospel and reach the lost? If so, this school’s passion for training ministers in mission-minded service for the Great Commission may fit the bill.

With its emphasis on equipping students for ministry beyond the simple acquisition of academic knowledge, Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, aims to maximize your impact and service to God’s kingdom.

Explore Southeastern’s Online MDiv

9. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: 100% Online & On-Campus Concentrations
School: Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Southern Baptist Convention)
Accreditation: ATS; HLC
Estimated Tuition: $29,970 + Fees (SBC Rate); $35,640 + Fees (Non-SBC)

The online MDiv at Midwestern Seminary provides four avenues of learning for distance students: you can attend classes completely online, view classes over a live video feed, attend an online or onsite event class, and/or complete a practicum in your local church with the assistance of a local instructor and supervisor. (See this fall’s schedule here).

This allows for both academic and practical training in ministry to serve the church and beyond. With ten concentration tracks, you can opt for one that prepares you for standard ministry positions, further doctoral training, or even teaching at a college or seminary level.

As an SBC seminary located in Kansas City, Kansas, Midwestern offers the traditional lower tuition rates for students who are members of SBC churches.

Explore Midwestern Seminary’s Online MDiv

10. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: 100% Online
School: New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (Southern Baptist Convention)
Accreditation: ATS; SACSCOC
Estimated Tuition: $29,820 + Fees

New Orleans Seminary gives students the opportunity to pursue a completely online MDiv with three options: the standard format of taking classes at your own pace, the “Live” which allows you to join (and interact online) in a live weekly broadcast of classes, or the “flex” option which lets you move seamlessly between both formats.

If you’re serving as a paid, small-church minister in select states, apply for a full-tuition scholarship through the Caskey Center, and receive the support and training you need to lead your congregation into the purposes of God’s heart.

New Orleans Seminary provides help to all its students through appointments at their Writing Center. Nestled in the heart of the Bible Belt, the seminary offers a solid education for Southern Baptist and other students alike.

Explore New Orleans Seminary’s Online MDiv

11. Asbury Theological Seminary

Hybrid Master of Divinity

Availability: 2/3 Online; 1/3 On-Campus
School: Asbury Theological Seminary (Interdenominational)
Accreditation: ATS; SACSOC
Estimated Tuition: $68,352 + Fees

Are you hungry for revival? Check out Asbury, a seminary with a unique history of revival past and present (early 2023).

Its five-year, hybrid MDiv program allows students to complete most coursework online, while requiring on-campus study ten times during the program, either in one-week or weekend intensive segments.

The perks offered with this degree are worth considering: generous scholarships (one for free tuition the final year), free Logos Bible Software after completing 24 credit hours, and the chance to travel on faculty-led adventures to historic sites around the globe.

Asbury holds to a Wesleyan emphasis on holiness both for the individual and society. In addition to its spiritual concern for students, it remains connected to graduates through its networking resource hub, “Asbury for Life.”

Explore Asbury’s Online MDiv

12. Fuller Theological Seminary

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: 100% Online
School: School of Mission and Theology (Interdenominational)
Accreditation: ATS; WSCUC
Estimated Tuition: $59,288 + Fees

Explore numerous tailor-made concentrations with Fuller’s online MDiv program, including
Asian American Ministry; Black Church Studies; Leadership in Times of Change; or Youth, Family, and Culture.

Do you currently minister at least 20 hours a week in a church or elsewhere? Try Fuller’s new In-Service Pathway, a faster route to degree completion through an apprenticeship in your personal ministry context. If you are of Hispanic heritage, consider checking out the bilingual Spanish MDiv option.

Widely considered a premier evangelical seminary, Fuller champions diversity, accessibility, and women in ministry. Generous scholarships can offset tuition costs as much as 75% in some cases. With campuses in Pasadena, California; Houston, Texas; and Phoenix, Arizona, it equips students across the country to reach the world with God’s love.

Explore Fuller’s Online MDiv

13. Luther Seminary

Hybrid Master of Divinity

Availability: Online with Campus Intensives
School: Luther Seminary (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; United Methodist Church)
Accreditation: ATS; HLC
Estimated Tuition: $69,600 + Fees

The hybrid MDiv at Luther Seminary presents a well-organized, flexible path for training in ministry.

If you opt for the five-year, paced “Distributed Learning” program, you’ll spend thirteen weeks per semester online followed by a two-week, on-campus intensive (January and June), with the possibility of transferring fully to on-campus studies at any point if you choose. The degree also involves Contextual Learning with the opportunity to train in a variety of real-world contexts.

Check out their unique concentrations like Spanish Language for Ministry, Congregational and Community Care, or Justice and Reconciliation, if they match your specific calling.

Luther Seminary is associated with the more theologically liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Consider applying for their Jubilee scholarship, which covers an amazing 100% of tuition costs.

Explore Luther’s Online MDiv

14. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: 100% Online
School: Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Interdenominational; Evangelical Protestant)
Accreditation: ATS; NECHE
Estimated Tuition: $55,350 + Fees

Gordon-Conwell’s completely online MDiv prepares students for servant leadership in ministry spheres across the globe. MDiv graduates have even put their degree to use in public policy, medicine, and Hollywood.

In addition to standard times/formats, classes are offered on weeknights and weekends, both online and as one-week intensives, taught by well-known and highly respected faculty.

The evangelical seminary prioritizes study of the biblical languages and ensures that as an online student you will have home access to theological databases needed for the MDiv program.

While Gordon-Conwell’s main campus sits in Boston, Massachusetts, its Charlotte, North Carolina, campus hosts online students for all degree programs. Online students become part of a local hub networked with other hubs across the country (even one in Ghana!).

Explore Gordon-Conwell’s Online MDiv

15. Trinity International University

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: 100% Online
School: Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Evangelical Free Church of America)
Accreditation: ATS; HLC
Estimated Tuition: $65,250 + Fees

Consider one of two tracks in Trinity International University’s online MDiv program: Church and Parachurch Ministry, or Academic Ministry.

Do you already have a degree from a Christian college or Christian liberal arts school? If so, you may qualify for the Advanced Placement MDiv program, requiring fewer credit hours and the chance to take upper-level electives in your preferred area.

Other enticing perks of this program include a reduced price on Logos Bible Software and participation in a weekly, faculty-led Formation Group where you can grow spiritually with other students.

Trinity is closely tied with the Evangelical Free Church of America and partners with many other ministries and denominations; as such, many graduates receive assistance through their placement office in finding pastoral positions.

Explore Trinity International’s Online MDiv

16. Western Seminary

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: 100% Online or Hybrid
School: Western Seminary (Venture Church Network)
Accreditation: ATS; NWCCU
Estimated Tuition: $54,202 + Fees

Western Seminary, part of the Venture Church Network, equips students for gospel-centered, transformational ministry with its online MDiv program.

Benefitting from top-tier faculty instruction, you’ll have the opportunity to develop a personal system of theology directly from Scripture, versus simply co-opting one from a denominationally-affiliated seminary.

Reap the benefits of attending classes on your schedule, or join into a scheduled class and interact with faculty and other students live online. Immerse yourself in a cultural experience by traveling to Israel, Turkey, or Greece on a for-credit study tour led by Western professors!

Located in Portland, Oregon, conservative, evangelical Western Seminary also maintains branch campuses in Sacramento and San Jose, California. Its online degree programs, however, are available to students around the globe.

Explore Western Seminary’s Online MDiv

17. Westminster Theological Seminary

Online Master of Divinity in General Ministry

Availability: 100% Online
School: Westminster Theological Seminary (Interdenominational)
Accreditation: ATS; MSCHE
Estimated Tuition: $72,150 + Fees

Steeped in nearly 100 years of tradition, Westminster Seminary offers a rigorous, world-class education for its online MDiv students, training them deeply in knowledge of the Bible and how to effectively minister from it.

Face-to-face online small groups, a personal advisor, the Student Support team, and group messaging apps will provide you with substantial and meaningful connection as you navigate your studies. Beyond that, field trips, ongoing discipleship, practicums, and self-paced learning will equip you with the training needed for practical ministry, whatever sphere you’re called to.

Westminster, located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, holds to a reformed theology. Their distinctives, such as covenantal theology, biblical counseling, redemptive-historical hermeneutics, biblical-systematic theology, and Christ-centered preaching set them apart as a leader in theological and ministerial training.

Explore Westminster Seminary’s Online MDiv

18. Moody Bible Institute

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: 100% Online or Hybrid
School: Moody Theological Seminary (Non-Denominational)
Accreditation: ATS; ABHE; HLC
Estimated Tuition: $45,153 + Fees

Moody Bible Institute maintains solely online and hybrid formats for their MDiv program.

Are you interested in teaching English in a foreign country? Moody offers a TESOL MDiv track, equipping you to reach people for Christ through the classroom. Or consider the Interdisciplinary Studies track, where you choose 18 credits of electives from five different areas of study: theology, the Bible, biblical languages, history, and ministry. Then round out the final year of your education with two ministry internships.

Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute possesses a storied evangelical tradition of training ministers to spread the gospel of Christ. In connection with the famed Moody Broadcasting Network and a vast network of other ministries, this school presents students with a wide field of ministry opportunities upon graduation.

Explore Moody’s Online MDiv

19. Southeastern University

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: 100% Online or Hybrid
School: School of Divinity; Barnett College of Ministry & Theology (Assemblies of God)
Accreditation: ATS; SACSCOC
Estimated Tuition: $35,640 + Fees

As the largest Assemblies of God school in the US, Southeastern offers an online MDiv program that seeks to ready students for ministry by helping them develop biblical theology consistent with Pentecostal leanings.

In addition to the general MDiv, Southeastern offers two specialized concentrations: Chaplaincy, and Ministry Leadership: Pastoral Care and Counseling.

Are you serving in a pastoral position? They also offer an advanced degree track, shortening the time needed to earn an MDiv. All MDiv programs are fully online, with courses offered Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings.

As a conservative, evangelical, Arminian-leaning institution, Southeastern aims to prepare its students to think critically about theology, particularly as they intersect with other faith streams in the body of Christ.

Explore Southeastern’s Online MDiv

20. Bethel University

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: 100% Online
School: Bethel Seminary (Converge Worldwide/Evangelical Baptist)
Accreditation: ATS; HLC
Estimated Tuition: $41,184 + Fees

Bethel University’s fully online MDiv program empowers students for effective ministry in the 21st century, featuring two unique concentrations: Christian Thought, and Post-Christian Ministry.

Bethel follows a Transformative Education Model, which blends typical facets of seminary education (the Bible and theology, spiritual formation, and leadership development) into every course. Consider the “Sem Together” program, if you’d like to take courses with the same peer group throughout your studies; then join the 6,000+ Bethel graduates serving around the globe today.

According to its website, Bethel University boasts a whopping 97% of graduates as employed or engaged in graduate study. And it was ranked by Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce as number one for its student return on investment ten years post-graduation.

Explore Bethel’s Online MDiv

21. Grand Canyon University

Online Master of Divinity

Availability: Online with 3 On-Campus Residencies
School: Grand Canyon Theological Seminary (Interdenominational)
Accreditation: ATS; HLC
Estimated Tuition: $33,260 + Fees

The online MDiv program at Grand Canyon University allows students to flourish in their current context while preparing for Christ-centered ministry.

Grow in character, along with the knowledge and practice of culturally-relevant communication, evangelism, and discipleship as you complete the program in a format of eight-week-long online courses.

With a requirement for three on-campus, week-long residencies throughout the program, you will also have the opportunity to learn from and develop rich relationships with faculty, missionaries, and ministry leaders that may carry you into the future of your calling.

Unlike most seminaries, Grand Canyon University is a private, for-profit school that constitutes perhaps the largest Christian University worldwide (given its enrollment numbers of nearly 100,000 students, both in-person and online, as of 2018).

Explore GCU’s Online MDiv

All Online Master of Divinity Programs

93 Schools Found

Alabama

Amridge University

Turner School of Theology

Montgomery, Alabama