2026 Best Value Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools in Virginia

[Theological & Ministerial Studies](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/theological-ministerial-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value theological & ministerial studies schools.
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2026 Best Value Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in theological & ministerial studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Theological & Ministerial Studies Schools
For return on investment in theological & ministerial studies, no school beat Regent University this year. Regent University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Virginia Beach. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,650. Typical student debt for theological & ministerial studies graduates is $29,451. Soon after graduation, theological & ministerial studies degree recipients from Regent University generally make around $49,840. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Virginia Union University one of the best values for theological & ministerial studies. Located in the city of Richmond, Virginia Union University is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,830. Students borrow a median of $30,593 to complete the theological & ministerial studies program here. Early-career theological & ministerial studies graduates make about $25,910. That is a strong return on a $30,593 median debt. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Liberty University earned it the #3 place for theological & ministerial studies. Set in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $16,173. Students borrow a median of $27,414 to complete the theological & ministerial studies program here. Soon after graduation, theological & ministerial studies degree recipients from Liberty University generally make around $53,626. Set against $27,414 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Liberty University admits about 99% of applicants.
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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 · 10 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.