Colorado has a small but unusually varied set of seminaries. Three schools hold accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools — evangelical, mainline Methodist, and Roman Catholic respectively — and each serves a completely different student.
Below is every graduate-level option in the state, plus the accredited undergraduate ministry colleges and the unaccredited training programs you are likely to run into while searching. Tuition figures are published 2025–26 rates; verify with each registrar before budgeting.
Colorado seminaries at a glance
| School | Location | Accreditation | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver SeminaryLargest evangelical seminary in the Rockies; MDiv, MA, DMin, on-campus and online | Littleton (Denver metro) | ATS, HLC | ~$575/credit |
| Iliff School of TheologyUnited Methodist and progressive mainline; joint PhD with University of Denver | Denver (University Park) | ATS, HLC | ~$800/credit |
| St. John Vianney Theological SeminaryCatholic priestly formation for the Archdiocese of Denver; lay MA also offered | Denver | ATS | Diocesan sponsorship covers most costs |
| Nazarene Bible CollegeChurch of the Nazarene; undergraduate ministry degrees, heavily online | Colorado Springs | HLC, ABHE | ~$395/credit |
| Colorado Christian UniversityMA in Theological Studies and biblical studies degrees; not an ATS seminary | Lakewood | HLC | ~$600/credit (graduate) |
| Charis Bible CollegeCharismatic ministry training; no federal aid, credits generally do not transfer | Woodland Park | Not institutionally accredited | ~$5,500/year |
| Colorado Theological SeminaryLow-cost distance programs; verify acceptance with your denomination first | Colorado Springs / online | Not recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education | ~$200/credit |
| Church-based ministry residenciesSeveral Colorado churches run pastoral residencies; these are training, not accredited degrees | Statewide | Non-degree training | Varies |
Denver Seminary — the evangelical flagship
Denver Seminary in Littleton is the largest evangelical graduate school of theology between Dallas and the West Coast. It is dually accredited by ATS and the Higher Learning Commission, which means its degrees satisfy both denominational ordination boards and secular graduate admissions offices. Programs run from the 78–90 credit MDiv through MA tracks in counseling, biblical studies, leadership, and Christian formation, plus a Doctor of Ministry.
The distinctive here is the mentored-ministry requirement: every student is placed with a supervising practitioner for the length of the degree. If you plan to stay and pastor in the Rocky Mountain region, that network matters as much as the coursework.
Iliff School of Theology — mainline and academic
Iliff, on the University of Denver campus, is one of the United Methodist Church's official seminaries and the most academically research-oriented school in the state, with a joint PhD program run with DU. Its theological posture is progressive mainline: expect serious engagement with social ethics, liberation theology, and interfaith work. It is the right school for UMC, UCC, and Episcopal ordination tracks and the wrong one if you want a confessional evangelical curriculum.
St. John Vianney — Catholic formation in Denver
St. John Vianney Theological Seminary forms priests for the Archdiocese of Denver and dozens of sending dioceses, with ATS-accredited MDiv and MA degrees. Seminarians are sponsored by a diocese, so cost is rarely paid out of pocket; the attached Lay Division offers graduate theology courses to non-seminarians. Compare with our Catholic seminaries guide.
Accredited undergraduate and ministry degrees
Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs is HLC- and ABHE-accredited, delivers most coursework online, and is built for working adults pursuing Church of the Nazarene ministry credentials. Colorado Christian University in Lakewood is a full HLC-accredited university with an MA in Theological Studies and undergraduate biblical studies degrees — accredited and Title IV eligible, but not an ATS seminary, which matters for some ordination boards.
The unaccredited options — read this before enrolling
Charis Bible College in Woodland Park is one of the largest ministry-training schools in the state and is not institutionally accredited. Neither is Colorado Theological Seminary. That is not automatically disqualifying — plenty of charismatic and independent churches ordain from these programs — but it does mean no FAFSA, no federal loans, and credits that most accredited schools will not accept. Work through our accreditation check and the Department of Education database before you commit money.
Paying for seminary in Colorado
ATS schools in Colorado award heavy institutional aid — Denver Seminary and Iliff both discount published tuition significantly for full-time students, and denominational scholarships stack on top. Colorado's state aid programs apply at CCU and Nazarene Bible College for eligible residents. Start with our scholarships guide and the cost estimator, and compare against the cheapest ATS-accredited seminaries nationally before you decide the Front Range is the right place to study.
Related reading
Browse Bible colleges in Colorado for undergraduate options, online seminaries if you would rather not relocate, or what is seminary school? if you are still deciding whether a graduate degree is the right step.
Frequently asked questions
- What seminaries are in Colorado?
- Colorado has three ATS-accredited graduate theological schools: Denver Seminary in Littleton, the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, and St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, the Catholic seminary of the Archdiocese of Denver. Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs and Colorado Christian University in Lakewood offer accredited ministry and theology degrees without being ATS seminaries, and Charis Bible College in Woodland Park runs a large unaccredited ministry-training program.
- What is the best evangelical seminary in Colorado?
- Denver Seminary is the primary evangelical option. It is accredited by both the Association of Theological Schools and the Higher Learning Commission, offers the MDiv, several MA tracks, and a DMin, and runs a well-regarded mentored-ministry program that pairs every student with a local church supervisor. Iliff is the alternative for students who want a mainline, progressive theological environment.
- How much does a Colorado seminary MDiv cost?
- Budget roughly $575 per credit at Denver Seminary and about $800 per credit at Iliff. A 78–90 credit MDiv therefore runs about $45,000–$52,000 at Denver Seminary and $62,000–$72,000 at Iliff before institutional grants, which are substantial at both schools. Catholic seminarians at St. John Vianney are normally funded by their sponsoring diocese.
- Can I do an in-person MDiv in Colorado?
- Yes. Denver Seminary and Iliff both run residential MDiv cohorts on campus in the Denver metro, and St. John Vianney is fully residential for seminarians in formation. Denver Seminary also delivers most of its MDiv online for students outside the Front Range, and Iliff offers a hybrid low-residency format.
- Is Charis Bible College accredited?
- No. Charis Bible College in Woodland Park is not accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, so its students cannot use federal financial aid and its credits generally will not transfer to accredited colleges. That may be acceptable if you want ministry training rather than a transferable degree — but confirm your denomination accepts it before enrolling.
- Are there online seminary options based in Colorado?
- Denver Seminary's online MDiv and MA programs carry the same ATS accreditation as its campus degrees, and Nazarene Bible College delivers most of its undergraduate ministry coursework online. Both are legitimate distance options for students anywhere in the Rocky Mountain region.
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