How to Become a Chaplain: Your Complete Career Guide

February 27, 2026

Chaplains provide spiritual care and emotional support during life’s most challenging moments in hospitals, military units, sports teams, correctional facilities, and beyond. If you’re called to serve others through ministry in non-traditional settings, chaplaincy offers a meaningful career path with diverse opportunities. This guide explores the educational requirements, career pathways, and earning potential for aspiring chaplains.

What Does a Chaplain Do?

Chaplains are ordained clergy or spiritual care professionals who minister to people outside traditional congregational settings, meeting people where they are. They offer religious guidance, spiritual counseling, and emotional support to individuals of all faiths, or no faith, in secular environments. A chaplain’s role can include conducting religious services, providing counseling, offering crisis intervention, performing religious rites, supporting families during difficult times, and facilitating spiritual care in multicultural environments.

Educational Requirements & Career Opportunities

Most chaplaincy positions require a Master of Divinity from an accredited seminary, along with Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) units and board certification to prepare for diverse chaplaincy contexts. Graduates pursue chaplaincy careers in various sectors, including corporate, military, healthcare, public safety, institutional, sports, educational, and disaster relief settings.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, chaplain salaries vary by setting, experience, and location, with specialized chaplaincy roles in healthcare, military, and institutional settings showing steady demand. Board certification significantly impacts earning potential and qualifies chaplains for leadership positions.

Military Chaplain

Military chaplains serve as commissioned officers providing spiritual care to service members and their families across all branches of the armed forces. Regent University has a distinguished military chaplaincy program with faculty including retired military chaplains.

Hospital Chaplain

Healthcare chaplains provide spiritual support to patients, families, and medical staff in hospitals, hospice programs, rehabilitation centers, and long-term care facilities. They address spiritual concerns surrounding surgery, diagnosis, treatment decisions, and end-of-life care.

Sports Team Chaplain

Sports chaplains minister to athletes, coaches, and support staff in professional and collegiate athletics, providing spiritual guidance and counseling during the unique pressures of competitive sports.

Corporate Chaplain

Corporate chaplains work in business settings, providing confidential counseling and spiritual support to employees.

Institutional Chaplain

Institutional chaplains serve in correctional facilities, counseling inmates and facilitating religious programming.

Educational or Community Chaplain

Chaplains serve in schools, colleges, and community organizations, providing spiritual care and guidance to students, staff, and community members.

Disaster Relief Chaplain

Disaster relief chaplains respond to natural disasters and mass casualty events, providing critical spiritual and emotional support to survivors, families, and emergency personnel during times of crisis.

Christian Educator

In addition to chaplaincy roles, M.Div. and D.Min. graduates may qualify to teach undergraduate theology and biblical studies at Christian colleges and universities, combining academic scholarship with ministry formation.

Start Your Chaplaincy Journey

Becoming a chaplain requires theological education, practical training, and a calling to serve others in their times of greatest need. Whether you’re drawn to military service, healthcare ministry, sports chaplaincy, or institutional care, Regent’s School of Divinity provides Christ-centered chaplaincy education rooted in biblical foundations and Renewal theology.

Explore Regent’s M.Div. in Theology & Ministry – Chaplain Ministry to begin your chaplaincy preparation, or advance your leadership capabilities through the D.Min. in Chaplain Ministry & Leadership.

Ready to answer your calling? Contact Regent University’s Office of Admissions at 800.373.5504 or submit a Request Information Form to learn more about chaplaincy programs and start your application today.

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