Dr. Mark Merrill, President & FounderMany private colleges charge high tuition, leaving students with substantial loans. The burden of repayment can postpone their plans to enter fields like ministry or community service.
CBC keeps tuition intentionally low and supplements it with merit-based scholarships, with the goal of helping every student graduate debt-free. Undergraduate and adult learners receive education that blends classroom learning with ministry practice. While the college emphasizes developing a heart for missions, students are also fully prepared to apply their skills in a variety of professional fields, allowing them to pursue careers and ministries with confidence.
“We’re committed to guiding students toward graduation with minimal or no debt,” says Dr. Mark Merrill, president and founder.
That bold mission is already showing results, as the first graduating class completed their studies without taking on loans.
Students often pay $305 per credit hour, which makes the cost of a four-year degree about $36,500. Multiple funding streams help maintain this cost.
CBC partners with Nelson University in Waxahachie, Texas, a regionally accredited host institution. This partnership helps students qualify for federal financial aid, including Pell Grants and subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. It also negotiates the tuition rate to ensure students pay significantly less than their peers at comparable schools.
Visalia First, the local church, sets aside half of its annual global mission fund to support the college as a mission-focused initiative. This brings about $500,000 annually for scholarships and student support.
CBC board members from across the country also contribute funds from their own ministries. An annual fundraiser draws supporters nationwide to hear CBC’s story and pledge gifts, generating another half a million dollars.
However, the college does not want this to be a giveaway. Students are expected to earn these scholarships by participating in weekly chapel services, serving in outreach, keeping good grades and joining co-curricular activities.
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We’re trying to graduate students as close to debt-free as possible.
One student, Kendall Valenzuela’s journey shows the real impact. She was actively involved in children’s ministry while also working a part-time job at a medical office. The path to ministry could have left her weighed down by debt, but with CBC’s scholarships and community support, she graduated debt-free, moved into a role as children’s pastor and now plans for her master’s degree to continue her service journey.
Plans are underway to expand this funding model to master’s and doctoral levels to let midlife professionals advance their education without financial strain.
Affordability alone does not tell the full story. CBC has reshaped the learning experience through its online and offline classes. Lectures are streamed and uploaded daily so students can join live or watch later. The format keeps the study flexible and the community intact.
Church Leadership is the most popular degree, with eight specializations. Other majors include Bible and theology, education, human services, criminal justice, psychology and business. Even programs outside ministry have a strong ministry focus, and some prepare students for graduate studies in counseling and therapy.
Complementing their academic program, the college wants all students to graduate with a philanthropic heart and support the church. To cultivate this, students who qualify each summer are invited to participate in the Catalyst World Experience, which includes trips to four regions - South America, Africa, Europe and Asia. During these trips, they are exposed to diverse cultural contexts and experience firsthand how the gospel impacts varied communities.
Students are also trained through a four-year practicum in Visalia and at its extension sites, serving up to 12 hours a week in church ministry. They start in next-gen ministry, progress to pastoral care, explore creative and tech roles and complete the journey serving in their chosen field. Even students studying from a distance can participate in practicum-based learning through their local churches.
Catalyst Bible College is charting a new path in Christ-centered education with a mission to provide knowledge and a spiritual foundation for generations to come.
