by our College Data Analytics Team
[Religious Education](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/religious-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 40 schools to find the best return on investment for religious education students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the religious education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary the best value for a degree in religious education in the Southeast Region. Set in the suburb of Wake Forest, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,318. Religious Education graduates of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary earn a median of $54,863 early in their careers. The acceptance rate is 75%.
University Of The Cumberlands came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value religious education schools. University Of The Cumberlands is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the town of Williamsburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,875. Typical student debt for religious education graduates is $23,371. Soon after graduation, religious education degree recipients from University Of The Cumberlands generally make around $50,547. That is a strong return on a $23,371 median debt. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in religious education will find it at Liberty University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,173. Typical student debt for religious education graduates is $27,414. Religious Education graduates of Liberty University earn a median of $45,877 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 99%.
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The ranking above is published 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 · 40 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.