by our College Data Analytics Team
[Theology](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/theological-ministerial-studies/theology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong theology education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for theology students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in theology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Grace College And Theological Seminary tops our 2026 list of the best value theology schools in Indiana. Grace College And Theological Seminary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Winona Lake. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $29,645. Students borrow a median of $21,211 to complete the theology program here. Early-career theology graduates make about $42,188. That is a strong return on a $21,211 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Anderson University Indiana is a great value for students pursuing a degree in theology, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Anderson, Anderson University Indiana is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $37,240. Theology graduates carry a median of $27,401 in student loans. Soon after graduation, theology degree recipients from Anderson University Indiana generally make around $41,376. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Earlham College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value theology schools. Earlham College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Richmond. In-state tuition and fees average $53,930. Students borrow a median of $25,125 to complete the theology program here. Soon after graduation, theology degree recipients from Earlham College generally make around $43,038. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Earlham College admits about 73% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Notre Dame one of the best values for theology. Set in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,025. Theology graduates carry a median of $19,000 in student loans. Early-career theology graduates make about $44,657. That is a strong return on a $19,000 median debt. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.