Selecting theology for your major gives you a great opportunity to study religion and faith in God from an in-depth perspective. Depending on your university of choice, theology majors may take courses focusing on the comparison of major world faiths in religious studies classes, the history of the Bible and its original languages, the evolution of Christianity or the application of religious ethics. Here are a list of five exciting job opportunities, beyond becoming a minister, that you’ll be eligible for with a theology major:
1. Become a scripture translator.
Within the field of sacred translations, lots of work is available these days for those interested in doing missionary work in countries within South America by translating the Bible into local languages. Some relief agencies pay $50,000 annually for these assignments, and you can earn more if the project will span several years abroad. For this speciality, it’s helpful to study anthropology and sociology as well. This job is an excellent way to take advantage of your passion for your beliefs by reaching out to people in third-world countries who could use some inspiration in their lives. Share your love of learning various languages with others too since you’ll often need to become versed in Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew.
2. Help others as a social worker.
One excellent advantage to working in this field is that the need for social workers continues to increase steadily every year, so you’ll never see a shortage of jobs in this area. Social workers earn more according to their level of responsibility, so administrators and managing executives of these programs make around $65,000 a year. You can work for state or local charitable agencies, or you can serve private organizations and faith-based agencies. Choose this type of vocation if you enjoy employing your leadership skills while expressing your religious values in action through your work.
3. Become a professor of humanities or theology.
These various teaching positions can pay anywhere from $45,000 to $62,000 or more annually depending upon the budget of the school you teach at. The longer your teaching career continues, the more your salary is likely to increase too. One way to enter this field is by starting out in an adjunct faculty position to teach part-time. This way, you’ll build valuable experience and get a chance to earn recognition from your peers, who can help recommend you for a full-time job at the school. College teachers have a rewarding job because they get regular holidays, good benefits and the chance to inspire the next generation of faith leaders.
4. Work as a writer for a faith-based column in local or national newspapers.
Your expertise as a theology major will help you qualify for writing assignments covering exciting topics in world religion today, and you could even land a column in the New York Times if you also study journalism and build up your writing portfolio. This job is very flexible, and your opportunities are only limited by your imagination.
5. Serve as a chaplain for the Department of Justice.
Working in prisons to help those in need is one of the highest paying jobs for a theology major. It pays up to $92,000 annually, and this work will give you life-changing experiences that you won’t find anywhere else to help impact peoples’ lives in a deeply meaningful way.
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This list is just a sample of the job openings available for qualified theology majors. Find more career choices by first asking yourself what kind of changes you’d like to help make in the world with your theology major. Then read about the lives of people who are leaders in your ideal field right now to find out how you can follow in their footsteps.