by our College Data Analytics Team
[Religious Education](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/religious-education/) 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.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value religious education schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in religious education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Azusa Pacific University, our #1 best value for religious education in California. Set in the suburb of Azusa, Azusa Pacific University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $44,458. Religious Education graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career religious education graduates make about $58,302. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.