2026 Best Value Islamic Studies Schools
[Islamic Studies](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/religious-studies/islamic-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong islamic studies education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 21 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for islamic studies students.
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Finding the Best Value Islamic Studies School for You
Where you study islamic studies affects both what you pay and what you earn. That is why we built our Best Value Islamic Studies Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
See how we build our rankings
Customizing Your List
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Islamic Studies Schools list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Learn more about our methodology
2026 Best Value Islamic Studies Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in islamic studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Islamic Studies Schools
For return on investment in islamic studies, no school beat Harvard University this year. Located in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $61,676. Students borrow a median of $16,616 to complete the islamic studies program here. Islamic Studies graduates of Harvard University earn a median of $95,207 early in their careers. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Columbia University In The City Of New York came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value islamic studies schools. Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $70,517. Typical student debt for islamic studies graduates is $23,258. Early-career islamic studies graduates make about $86,770. Set against $23,258 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Columbia University In The City Of New York admits about 4% of applicants.
Emory University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value islamic studies schools. Set in the city of Atlanta, Emory University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $64,280 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $19,431 to complete the islamic studies program here. Islamic Studies graduates of Emory University earn a median of $58,984 early in their careers. Set against $19,431 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 11%.
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Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Islamic Studies. Browse the parent area of study.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 21 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.
