2022 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Theology & Religious Vocations (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 26,872 people earned their degree in theology and religious vocations, making the major the 25th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, theology and religious vocations graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $34,203 and had an average of $35,660 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southwest region, there were 2,727 theology and religious vocations graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,805 and $37,859 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 97 theology and religious vocations graduates with average earnings and debt of $71,970 and $95,025 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 5 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in theology and religious vocations. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent theology and religious vocations programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the theology and religious vocations program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The theology & religious vocations school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 5 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Theology & Religious Vocations (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region

#1

Oral Roberts University

Tulsa, Oklahoma

#4 in overall quality

$12,282 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Oral Roberts University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k. ORU is a small school located in Tulsa, Oklahoma that handed out 4 doctorate’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ORU, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Oral Roberts University are $12,282, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at ORU

#2

Hardin - Simmons University

Abilene, Texas

#7 in overall quality

$14,320 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hardin - Simmons University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Abilene, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 degrees to qualified doctorate’s theology and religious vocations students in 2019-2020.

Hardin - Simmons also made our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #7. Average graduate tuition and fees at Hardin - Simmons University are $14,320, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Hardin - Simmons

#3

Southern Methodist University

Dallas, Texas

#2 in overall quality

$47,478 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Methodist University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k. SMU is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 2 doctorate’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region doctor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k list, SMU has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at SMU are $47,478.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at SMU

#4

Baylor University

Waco, Texas

#3 in overall quality

$36,936 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Baylor University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Waco, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s theology and religious vocations degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

Baylor not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Baylor are $36,936.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Baylor

#5

Abilene Christian University

Abilene, Texas

#6 in overall quality

$23,238 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Abilene Christian University landed the #5 spot on the list. Abilene Christian University is a medium-sized school located in Abilene, Texas that handed out 2 doctorate’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

Abilene Christian did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Abilene Christian are $23,238.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Abilene Christian

• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Theology & Religious Vocations (Income $0-$30k)

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 Daderot.

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