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2026 Best Value Religious Education Schools in Ohio

[Religious Education](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/religious-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for religious education students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Religious Education Schools in Ohio

2026 Best Value Religious Education Schools in Ohio

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

Best Value Religious Education Schools

1

Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Mount Vernon, OH

$27,193 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,602 Avg Student Debt

$49,555 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in religious education, no school beat Mount Vernon Nazarene University this year. Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Mount Vernon. Students from in state pay about $27,193 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for religious education graduates is $26,602. Religious Education graduates of Mount Vernon Nazarene University earn a median of $53,377 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.

2

Franciscan University Of Steubenville
Steubenville, OH

$34,100 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,980 Avg Student Debt

$50,030 Median Earnings (10yr)

Franciscan University Of Steubenville came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value religious education schools. Franciscan University Of Steubenville is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Steubenville. In-state tuition and fees average $34,100. Students borrow a median of $26,980 to complete the religious education program here. Soon after graduation, religious education degree recipients from Franciscan University Of Steubenville generally make around $35,803. Set against $26,980 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 58%.

View All Religious Education Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 9 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.