by our College Data Analytics Team
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 1,417 people earned their degree in religious education, making the major the 216th most popular in the United States. 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 “Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major” ranking analyzed 137 colleges that offered a degree in religious education. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in religious education.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major” 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grand Canyon University. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major. Phoenix, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s religious ed degrees to 400 students in 2020-2021.
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%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Franciscan University of Steubenville. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major list. Located in Steubenville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 63 degrees to qualified ’s religious ed students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national 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
Out of the 137 schools in the Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major that were part of this year’s ranking, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in New Orleans, Louisiana, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 54 degrees to qualified ’s religious ed students in 2020-2021.
Out of the 137 schools in the Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Crown College landed the #4 spot on the list. Crown is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Trinity International University - Illinois. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major list. Deerfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s religious ed degrees to 39 students in 2020-2021.
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 Trinity International University - Illinois Religious Education Report
Wheaton College Illinois came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is located in Wheaton, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 ’s religious ed degrees to qualified 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%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.
Read full report on Religious Education at Wheaton College Illinois
Liberty University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking. Liberty University is located in Lynchburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 34 ’s religious ed degrees to qualified students.
Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking, coming in at #7. IWU is located in Marion, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 34 ’s religious ed degrees to qualified students.
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 Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global Religious Education Report
Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef D’spinka came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking. Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef D’spinka is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Brooklyn, New York. It awarded 32 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Religious Education at Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef D’spinka
University of the Cumberlands did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking, coming in at #10. Williamsburg, Kentucky is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s religious ed degrees to 30 students in 2020-2021.
Moody Bible Institute came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking. Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 29 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
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 full report on Religious Education at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School
Dallas Theological Seminary ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major list. DTS Dallas is a small school located in Dallas, Texas that handed out 28 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #13, Dallas Baptist University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major list. This small school is located in Dallas, Texas, and it awarded 27 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
North Park University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 26 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
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. The low undergrad 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%.
Read full report on Religious Education at North Park University
Azusa Pacific University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking, coming in at #15. This medium-sized school is located in Azusa, California, and it awarded 24 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking, coming in at #15. Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Biola University ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major list. La Mirada, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s religious ed degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.
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%.
Wesley Theological Seminary landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking. Wesley Theological Seminary is a small school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 21 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 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 Religious Education at Wesley Theological Seminary
Veritas Baptist College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking. Veritas Baptist College is located in Fredericksburg, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s religious ed degrees to qualified students.
The impressive undergraduate 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.
Read more about Religious Education at Veritas Baptist College
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wake Forest, North Carolina. It awarded 20 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #21, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major list. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is a small school located in Louisville, Kentucky that handed out 17 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
Lindsey Wilson College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking, coming in at #22. Lindsey Wilson College is a small school located in Columbia, Kentucky that handed out 16 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
Messiah University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking. Messiah University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #24, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major list. This small school is located in Kansas City, Missouri, and it awarded 22 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
Read more about Religious Education at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Jewish Theological Seminary of America did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major ranking, coming in at #25. Jewish Theological Seminary of America is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 12 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Fordham University ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Religious Ed Major list. This fairly large school is located in Bronx, New York, and it awarded 12 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
