2026 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in Minnesota
[Theology & Religious Vocations](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong theology & religious vocations education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 17 schools to find the best return on investment for theology & religious vocations students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in Minnesota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in theology & religious vocations, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools
For return on investment in theology & religious vocations, no school beat Martin Luther College this year. Set in the town of New Ulm, Martin Luther College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,120. Theology & Religious Vocations graduates carry a median of $18,949 in student loans. Theology & Religious Vocations graduates of Martin Luther College earn a median of $15,327 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
North Central University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value theology & religious vocations schools. Set in the city of Minneapolis, North Central University is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $32,220 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for theology & religious vocations graduates is $26,750. Theology & Religious Vocations graduates of North Central University earn a median of $27,469 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 99%.
A rank of #3 makes Bethany Global University one of the best values for theology & religious vocations. Set in the city of Bloomington, Bethany Global University is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $11,000 in tuition and fees. Theology & Religious Vocations graduates carry a median of $13,276 in student loans. Early-career theology & religious vocations graduates make about $19,456. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Northwestern College Minnesota came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value theology & religious vocations schools. Northwestern College Minnesota is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Paul. In-state tuition and fees average $37,920. Typical student debt for theology & religious vocations graduates is $22,068. Soon after graduation, theology & religious vocations degree recipients from Northwestern College Minnesota generally make around $40,533. Set against $22,068 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northwestern College Minnesota admits about 94% of applicants.
Saint Johns University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value theology & religious vocations schools. Located in the rural area of Collegeville, Saint Johns University is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $55,816 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,646 to complete the theology & religious vocations program here. Early-career theology & religious vocations graduates make about $47,238. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Crown College landed the #6 spot for theology & religious vocations value this year. Set in the rural area of Saint Bonifacius, Crown College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $31,410 in tuition and fees. Theology & Religious Vocations graduates carry a median of $26,971 in student loans. Theology & Religious Vocations graduates of Crown College earn a median of $26,795 early in their careers. Set against $26,971 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 23% of applicants are accepted.
Bethel University Minnesota ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value theology & religious vocations schools. Set in the suburb of Saint Paul, Bethel University Minnesota is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $44,226 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $32,291 to complete the theology & religious vocations program here. Soon after graduation, theology & religious vocations degree recipients from Bethel University Minnesota generally make around $46,338. That is a strong return on a $32,291 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
University Of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #8 for value in theology & religious vocations this year. Set in the city of Saint Paul, University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $54,398 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $23,923 to complete the theology & religious vocations program here. Soon after graduation, theology & religious vocations degree recipients from University Of St Thomas Minnesota generally make around $71,681. That is a strong return on a $23,923 median debt. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 17 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
