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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Religion/Religious Studies (Income $30-$48k)

98 Ranked Colleges
3,000 Degrees Awarded
$6,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Religion/Religious Studies is the 173rd most popular major in the country with 3,832 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,000 religion/religious studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 98 colleges that offered a degree in religion/religious studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality religion/religious studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the religion/religious studies program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Religion/Religious Studies (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 98 schools in the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #1 spot on the list. Duke University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Durham, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Duke, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Duke University is $-1,314 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $30-$48k. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Duke University Religion/Religious Studies Report

#2

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 98 schools in the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2019-2020.

UPenn also took the #2 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,833 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Pennsylvania.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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 95%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 Religion/Religious Studies at UPenn

#3

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 98 schools in the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #3 spot on the list. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $3,995 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The 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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at Northwestern

#4

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 98 schools in the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Dartmouth College landed the #4 spot on the list. Hanover, New Hampshire is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s religion degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dartmouth, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dartmouth is $4,830 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive 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. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at Dartmouth

#5

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wake Forest University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Winston-Salem, North Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s religion degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wake Forest University, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,981 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wake Forest University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Wake Forest University Religion/Religious Studies Report

#6 in overall quality

Columbia University in the City of New York came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k list, Columbia has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Columbia is $4,287 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%.

Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at Columbia

#7

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#5 in overall quality

Cornell University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Cornell is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Ithaca, New York. It awarded 3 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell also took the #5 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cornell is $7,518 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at Cornell University

#8

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#9 in overall quality

Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt also took the #9 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt University is $6,017 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at Vanderbilt

#9

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that handed out 29 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,063 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

#10

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 9 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $4,069 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Florida.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Florida Religion/Religious Studies Report

With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $6,860 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at UW - Madison

#12

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York
#11 in overall quality

Colgate University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Colgate is a small school located in Hamilton, New York that handed out 11 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

Colgate also made our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $8,958 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Colgate.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at Colgate

#13

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
#12 in overall quality

William & Mary did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at William & Mary, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,963 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend William & Mary.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at William & Mary

#14

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Tufts University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Medford, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2019-2020.

Tufts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts University is $6,516 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive 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. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at Tufts University

#15

Hunter College

New York, New York

Hunter College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in New York, New York, this large public school handed out 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $2,394 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Hunter.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at Hunter

#16

Trinity College

Hartford, Connecticut
#17 in overall quality

Trinity College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Trinity College is located in Hartford, Connecticut and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.

Trinity Bantams also took the #17 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $9,123 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Trinity Bantams.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a 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 impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at Trinity College

#17

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia
#14 in overall quality

Emory University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Emory University is a fairly large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 7 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

Emory also took the #14 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Emory University is $9,629 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full Emory University Religion/Religious Studies Report

California State University - Long Beach came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Long Beach is $7,595 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full California State University - Long Beach Religion/Religious Studies Report

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 2 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW Seattle is $7,467 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at UW Seattle

#20

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Tallahassee, Florida, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Florida State University is $6,816 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.

Full Florida State Religion/Religious Studies Report

#21

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#20 in overall quality

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCLA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 14 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCLA has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCLA is $9,254 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%.

Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at University of California - Los Angeles

#21

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Virginia is a large public school situated in Charlottesville, Virginia. It awarded 39 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Virginia, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus is $11,696 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Virginia Religion/Religious Studies Report

Florida International University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend FIU is $6,683 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full Florida International University Religion/Religious Studies Report

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Ohio State is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State is $10,037 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Religion/Religious Studies Report

#25

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UMN Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UMN Twin Cities is $8,418 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UMN Twin Cities Religion/Religious Studies Report

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Sowlos.

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