by our College Data Analytics Team
[Religious Studies](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 33 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for religious studies students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in religious studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in religious studies, no school beat Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary this year. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wake Forest. Students from in state pay about $11,318 in tuition and fees. Soon after graduation, religious studies degree recipients from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary generally make around $54,863. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of North Carolina At Charlotte one of the best values for religious studies. Set in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,239, with out-of-state students paying around $22,492. Students borrow a median of $24,621 to complete the religious studies program here. Religious Studies graduates of University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earn a median of $31,123 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,621 median debt. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Duke University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in religious studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Duke University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Durham. Students from in state pay about $68,758 in tuition and fees. Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $13,296 in student loans. Early-career religious studies graduates make about $39,956. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 6%.
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This list is compiled 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 · 33 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.