by our College Data Analytics Team
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2021-2022, 9,039 people earned their degree in religious studies, making the major the 90th most popular in the United States. In , religious studies graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $34,289 and had an average of $30,539 in loans still to pay off.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,718 religious studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,724 and $23,030 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major” ranking analyzed 631 colleges that offered a degree in religious studies. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their religious studies program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major” list to help you make the college decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major”.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Graduate School of Theology. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. California Graduate School of Theology is located in Garden Grove, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Religious Studies at California Graduate School of Theology
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Messenger College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major. Located in Bedford, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend American Islamic College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major. American Islamic College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 2 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Religious Studies at American Islamic College
Out of the 631 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Gratz College landed the #5 spot on the list. Gratz College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Melrose Park, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 61 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #6, Jewish Theological Seminary of America did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Jewish Theological Seminary of America is a small school located in New York, New York that handed out 27 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Religious Studies at Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Williamson Christian College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. Williamson Christian College is located in Franklin, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.
Hebrew Theological College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking, coming in at #8. Hebrew Theological College is located in Skokie, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 36 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Champion Christian College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. Champion is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Religious Studies at Champion Christian College
Faith International University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. Faith is a small school located in Tacoma, Washington that handed out 18 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Beulah Heights University ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. BHU is a small school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 7 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Grace College of Divinity came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. Grace College of Divinity is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It awarded 3 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Saint Joseph Seminary College ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Saint Joseph Seminary College is a small school located in St. Benedict, Louisiana that handed out 4 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Religious Studies at Saint Joseph Seminary College
Wabash College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking, coming in at #14. This small school is located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Arkansas Baptist College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. This small school is located in Little Rock, Arkansas, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2021-2022.
Read full report on Religious Studies at Arkansas Baptist College
With a ranking of #16, Pacific Rim Christian University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Pacific Rim Christian University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Honolulu, Hawaii. It awarded 3 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Religious Studies at Pacific Rim Christian University
Martin University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking, coming in at #17. Martin University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 1 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #18, Texas College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. TC is located in Tyler, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.
American Jewish University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 0 degrees to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 2 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Religious Studies at American Jewish University
Vanguard University of Southern California landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. Vanguard is a private not-for-profit institution located in Costa Mesa, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #21, Ouachita Baptist University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. This small school is located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Clinton College ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Located in Rock Hill, South Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 3 degrees to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Birmingham Southern College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. Birmingham, Alabama is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s religion degrees to 4 students in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Religious Studies at Birmingham Southern College
Hellenic College - Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Hellenic College - Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology is a small school located in Brookline, Massachusetts that handed out 4 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Paul Quinn College ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Paul Quinn College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dallas, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Reed College | Portland, OR |
| 52 | Furman University | Greenville, SC |
| 53 | Carleton College | Northfield, MN |
| 54 | Kentucky Wesleyan College | Owensboro, KY |
| 55 | Swarthmore College | Swarthmore, PA |
| 56 | Brewton - Parker College | Mount Vernon, GA |
| 57 | Carson - Newman University | Jefferson City, TN |
| 58 | Wayland Baptist University | Plainview, TX |
| 59 | Salem College | Winston-Salem, NC |
| 60 | Shorter University | Rome, GA |
| 61 | Northwestern College | Orange City, IA |
| 62 | Luther College | Decorah, IA |
| 63 | Muhlenberg College | Allentown, PA |
| 64 | Andrews University | Berrien Springs, MI |
| 65 | Saint Norbert College | De Pere, WI |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Manchester University | North Manchester, IN |
| 67 | Wheaton College Massachusetts | Norton, MA |
| 68 | Hope College | Holland, MI |
| 69 | University of Mary | Bismarck, ND |
| 70 | Northland College | Ashland, WI |
| 71 | Tabor College | Hillsboro, KS |
| 72 | Macalester College | Saint Paul, MN |
| 73 | University of Mary Hardin - Baylor | Belton, TX |
| 74 | Colgate University | Hamilton, NY |
| 75 | Albion College | Albion, MI |
| 76 | University of St Thomas Minnesota | Saint Paul, MN |
| 77 | Hampden - Sydney College | Hampden-Sydney, VA |
| 78 | Loras College | Dubuque, IA |
| 79 | Bethel College - North Newton | North Newton, KS |
| 80 | Randolph - Macon College | Ashland, VA |
| 80 | Whitworth University - Adult Degree Programs | Spokane, WA |
| 82 | Meredith College | Raleigh, NC |
| 83 | Charleston Southern University | Charleston, SC |
| 84 | University of the Southwest | Hobbs, NM |
| 84 | Beloit College | Beloit, WI |
| 86 | Whitworth University | Spokane, WA |
| 87 | Ferrum College | Ferrum, VA |
| 87 | Gardner - Webb University | Boiling Springs, NC |
| 89 | Oakland City University | Oakland City, IN |
| 90 | Oklahoma City University | Oklahoma City, OK |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 91 | Bayamon Central University | Bayamón, PR |
| 92 | Saint Mary’s College | Notre Dame, IN |
| 93 | Rhodes College | Memphis, TN |
| 94 | Catholic University of America | Washington, DC |
| 95 | Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL |
| 95 | Franklin College | Franklin, IN |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
