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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools in the The Plains States Region

4 Colleges in the United States
$23,379 Avg Student Debt
$60,275 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Badge [Philosophy & Religious Studies](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 113 schools to find the best return on investment for philosophy & religious studies students.

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2026 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools in the The Plains States Region

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the philosophy & religious studies degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools

1

University Of Missouri St Louis tops our 2026 list of the best value philosophy & religious studies schools in the The Plains States Region. University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,120, while out-of-state students pay about $37,620. Typical student debt for philosophy & religious studies graduates is $25,943. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from University Of Missouri St Louis generally make around $53,079. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Missouri St Louis admits about 63% of applicants.

2

Students looking for strong value in philosophy & religious studies will find it at University Of Minnesota Twin Cities, which ranked #2. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,214, while out-of-state students pay about $38,362. Typical student debt for philosophy & religious studies graduates is $21,500. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities generally make around $31,652. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities admits about 80% of applicants.

3

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Missouri State University Springfield earned it the #3 place for philosophy & religious studies. Set in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,502 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $18,770. Typical student debt for philosophy & religious studies graduates is $26,349. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from Missouri State University Springfield generally make around $22,133. Set against $26,349 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.

4
University Of Mary crest
University Of Mary
Bismarck, ND

Students looking for strong value in philosophy & religious studies will find it at University Of Mary, which ranked #4. Located in the rural area of Bismarck, University Of Mary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $22,356. Students borrow a median of $26,983 to complete the philosophy & religious studies program here. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of University Of Mary earn a median of $65,565 early in their careers. Set against $26,983 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Mary admits about 75% of applicants.

5

University Of Missouri Columbia is a great value for students pursuing a degree in philosophy & religious studies, landing the #5 spot this year. University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,837, compared with $36,056 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for philosophy & religious studies graduates is $21,818. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $53,134. Set against $21,818 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.

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6

Maharishi University Of Management earned the #6 position for value in philosophy & religious studies this year. Located in the town of Fairfield, Maharishi University Of Management is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $16,530. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of Maharishi University Of Management earn a median of $73,644 early in their careers. Maharishi University Of Management admits about 96% of applicants.

7

Washington University In St Louis came in at #7 for value in philosophy & religious studies this year. Located in the suburb of St. Louis, Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $65,790. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $17,553 in student loans. Early-career philosophy & religious studies graduates make about $68,303. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.

8
University Of Iowa crest
University Of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

University Of Iowa placed #8 among the best values for philosophy & religious studies. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. In-state tuition and fees average $11,283, compared with $33,371 for out-of-state students. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $26,260 in student loans. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $57,375. Set against $26,260 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 84%.

9
Friends University crest
Friends University
Wichita, KS

Friends University earned the #9 position for value in philosophy & religious studies this year. Friends University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Wichita. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,192. Students borrow a median of $29,721 to complete the philosophy & religious studies program here. Early-career philosophy & religious studies graduates make about $46,502. That is a strong return on a $29,721 median debt. Friends University admits about 55% of applicants.

10

Saint Louis University Main Campus placed #10 among the best values for philosophy & religious studies. Saint Louis University Main Campus is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Louis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $55,760. Students borrow a median of $10,000 to complete the philosophy & religious studies program here. Early-career philosophy & religious studies graduates make about $65,599. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.

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Crown College crest
Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, MN

Crown College earned the #11 position for value in philosophy & religious studies this year. Crown College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Saint Bonifacius. In-state tuition and fees average $31,410. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $29,537 in student loans. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from Crown College generally make around $56,689. Set against $29,537 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 23%.

12

Bethel University Minnesota earned the #12 position for value in philosophy & religious studies this year. Located in the suburb of Saint Paul, Bethel University Minnesota is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $44,226 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,639 to complete the philosophy & religious studies program here. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of Bethel University Minnesota earn a median of $61,465 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,639 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.

13

University Of St Thomas Minnesota ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best value philosophy & religious studies schools. University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Paul. Students from in state pay about $54,398 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for philosophy & religious studies graduates is $19,240. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from University Of St Thomas Minnesota generally make around $27,496. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.

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Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 113 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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