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2023 Best Value Colleges for Religious Education (With Aid)

30 Ranked Colleges
1,417 Degrees Awarded
$22,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Religious Education is the 216th most popular major in the country with 1,417 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, religious education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $30,694 and had an average of $27,203 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 30 colleges that offered a degree in religious education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great religious education programs and cost less that 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 religious education program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Religious Education Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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More Religious Ed Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The religious ed 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 Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid”.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Religious Education (With Aid)

1
Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School crest
Moody Bible Institute
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Moody Bible Institute landed the #1 spot on the list. Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 29 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our religious ed students with aid list, Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Religious Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $19,679 for Religious Ed students with aid per year to attend Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 more about Religious Education at Moody Bible Institute

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. MBTS is located in Kansas City, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 22 ’s religious ed degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our religious ed students with aid list, MBTS has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Religious Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $19,405 for Religious Ed students with aid per year to attend Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 MBTS Religious Education Report

3
Grand Canyon University crest
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, Arizona

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Grand Canyon University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Grand Canyon University is a private for-profit institution located in Phoenix, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 400 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our religious ed students with aid list, Grand Canyon University has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Religious Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $20,585 for religious ed students with aid per year to attend Grand Canyon University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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%.

Full Grand Canyon University Religious Education Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Trinity International University - Illinois. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid. Located in Deerfield, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 39 diplomas to qualified ’s religious ed students in 2020-2021.

TIU Illinois also took the #9 spot in our “Best Religious Education Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Trinity International University - Illinois is $21,200 for religious ed students with aid.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full TIU Illinois Religious Education Report

5
CIU crest
Columbia International University
Columbia, South Carolina

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia International University landed the #5 spot on the list. CIU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Columbia, South Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

CIU also made our “Best Religious Education Schools” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend CIU is $18,222 for Religious Ed students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Education at Columbia International University

6

Grace Christian University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Grace is a small school located in Wyoming, Michigan that handed out 8 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Grace is $13,795 for Religious Ed students with aid.

Read more about Religious Education at Grace

7

The Baptist College of Florida came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Graceville, Florida is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s religious ed degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $11,764 for religious ed students with aid per year to attend The Baptist College of Florida.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full The Baptist College of Florida Religious Education Report

8
Olivet Nazarene crest
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Olivet Nazarene is a small school located in Bourbonnais, Illinois that handed out 9 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Olivet Nazarene did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Religious Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene University is $19,470 for religious ed students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Olivet Nazarene University Religious Education Report

9

With a ranking of #9, Franciscan University of Steubenville did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Steubenville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 63 degrees to qualified ’s religious ed students in 2020-2021.

Franciscan U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Religious Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Franciscan University of Steubenville is $23,415 for religious ed students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Religious Education at Franciscan University of Steubenville

10
Lee University crest
Lee University
Cleveland, Tennessee

Lee University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. Lee University is a small school located in Cleveland, Tennessee that handed out 11 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Lee University also made our “Best Religious Education Schools” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $18,219 for religious ed students with aid per year to attend Lee University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Education at Lee University

11

Lincoln Christian University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Lincoln Christian University is located in Lincoln, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 ’s religious ed degrees to qualified students.

Lincoln Christian College and Seminary did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Religious Education Schools” list. It costs about $19,638 for Religious Ed students with aid per year to attend Lincoln Christian College and Seminary.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Religious Education at Lincoln Christian College and Seminary

12

Trinity International University - Florida ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Trinity International University - Florida is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Miramar, Florida. It awarded 6 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Trinity International University - Florida Religious Education Report

13
Crown crest
Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota

Crown College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota, and it awarded 46 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Crown also made our “Best Religious Education Schools” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $25,796 for Religious Ed students with aid per year to attend Crown College.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Education at Crown

14
Ashland crest
Ashland University
Ashland, Ohio

Ashland University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. This small school is located in Ashland, Ohio, and it awarded 4 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Ashland not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Religious Education Schools” list. It costs about $20,974 for Religious Ed students with aid per year to attend Ashland University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Education at Ashland

15
Regent crest
Regent University
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Regent University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Regent is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 ’s religious ed degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Regent is $24,888 for Religious Ed students with aid.

Read full report on Religious Education at Regent

16
Benedictine College crest
Benedictine College
Atchison, Kansas

Benedictine College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Atchison, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s religious ed degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

Benedictine College also made our “Best Religious Education Schools” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend Benedictine College is $26,253 for religious ed students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 Religious Education at Benedictine College

17
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 2 degrees to qualified ’s religious ed students in 2020-2021.

Emory did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Religious Education Schools” list. It costs about $22,597 for religious ed students with aid per year to attend Emory.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full Emory University Religious Education Report

18
Azusa Pacific crest
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California

Azusa Pacific University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Azusa Pacific is located in Azusa, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s religious ed degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our religious ed students with aid list, Azusa Pacific has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Religious Education Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Azusa Pacific University is $30,744 for religious ed students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Religious Education at Azusa Pacific University

19

Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. IWU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Marion, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 34 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IWU, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Religious Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend IWU is $18,904 for Religious Ed students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full IWU Religious Education Report

20
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified ’s religious ed students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our religious ed students with aid list, Boston College has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Religious Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $36,599 for Religious Ed students with aid per year to attend Boston College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Education at Boston College

21
Wheaton College Illinois crest
Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

With a ranking of #21, Wheaton College Illinois did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wheaton, Illinois. It awarded 35 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Illinois, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Religious Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $25,692 for religious ed students with aid.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 Wheaton College Illinois Religious Education Report

22

Dallas Baptist University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Dallas, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s religious ed degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

DBU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Religious Education Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Dallas Baptist University is $25,301 for religious ed students with aid.

Full Dallas Baptist University Religious Education Report

23
Cornerstone crest
Cornerstone University
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Cornerstone University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified ’s religious ed students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Cornerstone University is $20,397 for religious ed students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Religious Education at Cornerstone University

24
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia

Liberty University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #24. This large school is located in Lynchburg, Virginia, and it awarded 34 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Liberty University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Religious Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Liberty University is $29,382 for religious ed students with aid.

Read full report on Religious Education at Liberty University

25
Bethel University Minnesota crest
Bethel University Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Bethel University Minnesota did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #25. This small school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 7 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bethel University Minnesota, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Religious Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $28,178 for religious ed students with aid per year to attend Bethel University Minnesota.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 85%.

Full Bethel University Minnesota Religious Education Report

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References

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