Religion/Religious Studies
Offered at 780 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 24 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 56 | $47,263 | — | $24,349 |
| Bachelor's | 505 | $25,696 | $46,418 | $24,139 |
| Master's | 125 | $51,017 | $69,981 | — |
| Doctoral | 49 | — | $74,902 | — |
| Professional | 2 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 19 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical associate program in this field reports median earnings of $47,263, versus $25,696 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yeshiva University | NY | $55,330 | — | $18,425 |
| 2 | Liberty University | VA | $44,546 | $51,238 | $24,349 |
| 3 | Elyon College | NY | $49,981 | — | — |
| 4 | Ohio Christian University | OH | — | $40,318 | — |
| 5 | Nelson University | TX | $40,078 | — | $24,750 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jewish Theological Seminary of America | NY | $61,250 | $110,602 | — |
| 2 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | VA | — | $68,216 | — |
| 3 | Fordham University | NY | — | $65,750 | — |
| 4 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | $41,957 | $64,322 | $24,139 |
| 5 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | AZ | $41,957 | $64,322 | $24,139 |
| 6 | California State University-Northridge | CA | — | $63,522 | — |
| 7 | Beth Medrash Govoha | NJ | $43,644 | $63,085 | — |
| 8 | DePauw University | IN | — | $61,355 | — |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | NC | — | $60,973 | — |
| 10 | University of California-Santa Barbara | CA | $46,342 | $60,675 | — |
| 11 | Whitworth University | WA | — | $59,140 | — |
| 12 | Cairn University-Langhorne | PA | — | $58,703 | — |
| 13 | Ner Israel Rabbinical College | MD | — | $58,495 | — |
| 14 | Hebrew Theological College | IL | $58,273 | — | — |
| 15 | St Olaf College | MN | $28,870 | $54,246 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary | NC | $58,678 | $95,567 | — |
| 2 | Duke University | NC | $59,138 | $83,419 | — |
| 3 | Wesley Theological Seminary | DC | $56,556 | $70,792 | — |
| 4 | Crown College | MN | $45,098 | $70,667 | — |
| 5 | Trinity International University-Illinois | IL | — | $69,295 | — |
| 6 | Ner Israel Rabbinical College | MD | — | $63,444 | — |
| 7 | Denver Seminary | CO | — | $49,636 | — |
| 8 | Ave Maria University | FL | $45,478 | — | — |
| 9 | Beth Medrash Govoha | NJ | — | $44,553 | — |
| 10 | Friends University | KS | $38,996 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emory University | GA | — | $83,260 | — |
| 2 | Claremont Graduate University | CA | — | $74,902 | — |
| 3 | University of Denver | CO | — | $74,786 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning professional programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jewish Theological Seminary of America | NY | — | $147,427 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning graduate certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beth Medrash Govoha | NJ | — | $35,684 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do religion/religious studies graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in religion/religious studies reports median earnings of $25,696. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
