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2026 Best Value Religious Studies Schools in Texas

[Religious Studies](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/religious-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong religious studies education at a price that pays off.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 37 schools to find the best return on investment for religious studies students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Religious Studies Schools in Texas

2026 Best Value Religious Studies Schools in Texas

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in religious studies, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Religious Studies Schools

1

Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX

$23,782 In-State Tuition & Fees

$30,204 Avg Student Debt

$51,838 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in religious studies, no school beat Wayland Baptist University this year. Set in the town of Plainview, Wayland Baptist University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,782. Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $30,204 in student loans. Early-career religious studies graduates make about $51,930. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 56% of applicants are accepted.

2

Baylor University
Waco, TX

$58,100 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,612 Avg Student Debt

$65,793 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in religious studies will find it at Baylor University, which ranked #2. Baylor University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Waco. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $58,100. Students borrow a median of $25,612 to complete the religious studies program here. Soon after graduation, religious studies degree recipients from Baylor University generally make around $31,672. Set against $25,612 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 51% of applicants are accepted.

View All Religious Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 37 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.