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2026 Best Value Religious Education Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in religious education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Religious Education Schools
Our analysis ranked Concordia University Seward the best value for a degree in religious education in the The Plains States Region. Set in the town of Seward, Concordia University Seward is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,640. Students borrow a median of $29,000 to complete the religious education program here. Soon after graduation, religious education degree recipients from Concordia University Seward generally make around $55,023. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a great value for students pursuing a degree in religious education, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Kansas City, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,530. Typical student debt for religious education graduates is $15,559. Soon after graduation, religious education degree recipients from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary generally make around $55,308. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Crown College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value religious education schools. Crown College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Saint Bonifacius. Students from in state pay about $31,410 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for religious education graduates is $25,937. Religious Education graduates of Crown College earn a median of $33,368 early in their careers. Set against $25,937 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 23%.
Narrow Religious Education Schools by State
Notes and References
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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
ADBLOCK #116
[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.
