2026 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in Illinois
[Theology & Religious Vocations](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 27 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for theology & religious vocations students.
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2026 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the theology & religious vocations degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools
North Park University tops our 2026 list of the best value theology & religious vocations schools in Illinois. Set in the city of Chicago, North Park University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $36,710 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,360 to complete the theology & religious vocations program here. Theology & Religious Vocations graduates of North Park University earn a median of $51,611 early in their careers. Set against $27,360 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in theology & religious vocations will find it at University Of Chicago, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $69,324 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $15,854 to complete the theology & religious vocations program here. Soon after graduation, theology & religious vocations degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $45,985. That is a strong return on a $15,854 median debt. University Of Chicago admits about 4% of applicants.
Trinity International University Illinois came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value theology & religious vocations schools. Set in the suburb of Deerfield, Trinity International University Illinois is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $12,320 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for theology & religious vocations graduates is $32,934. Theology & Religious Vocations graduates of Trinity International University Illinois earn a median of $50,075 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $32,934 median debt. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in theology & religious vocations will find it at Moody Bible Institute, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Chicago, Moody Bible Institute is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,786. Students borrow a median of $13,064 to complete the theology & religious vocations program here. Theology & Religious Vocations graduates of Moody Bible Institute earn a median of $43,281 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Moody Bible Institute admits about 83% of applicants.
Wheaton College Illinois came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value theology & religious vocations schools. Wheaton College Illinois is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wheaton. In-state tuition and fees average $45,546. Theology & Religious Vocations graduates carry a median of $24,074 in student loans. Soon after graduation, theology & religious vocations degree recipients from Wheaton College Illinois generally make around $54,928. Set against $24,074 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Loyola University Chicago earned the #6 position for value in theology & religious vocations this year. Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,710. Typical student debt for theology & religious vocations graduates is $23,521. Soon after graduation, theology & religious vocations degree recipients from Loyola University Chicago generally make around $46,241. That is a strong return on a $23,521 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 27 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
