2026 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools in Missouri
[Philosophy & Religious Studies](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong philosophy & religious studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 30 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 Missouri
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
For return on investment in philosophy & religious studies, no school beat University Of Missouri St Louis this year. Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,120, compared with $37,620 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for philosophy & religious studies graduates is $25,943. Early-career philosophy & religious studies graduates make about $53,079. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
Missouri State University Springfield came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value philosophy & religious studies schools. Set in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,502, while out-of-state students pay about $18,770. Typical student debt for philosophy & religious studies graduates is $26,349. Early-career philosophy & religious studies graduates make about $22,133. Set against $26,349 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Missouri State University Springfield admits about 90% of applicants.
University Of Missouri Columbia came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value philosophy & religious studies schools. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $14,837 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $36,056. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $21,818 in student loans. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of University Of Missouri Columbia earn a median of $53,134 early in their careers. Set against $21,818 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Missouri Columbia admits about 78% of applicants.
Washington University In St Louis came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value philosophy & religious studies schools. Set in the suburb of St. Louis, Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit institution. 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.
Students looking for strong value in philosophy & religious studies will find it at Saint Louis University Main Campus, which ranked #5. Saint Louis University Main Campus is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Louis. Students from in state pay about $55,760 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $10,000 to complete the philosophy & religious studies program here. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of Saint Louis University Main Campus earn a median of $65,599 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,000 median debt. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
More Philosophy & Religious Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 30 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
