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2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

15 Ranked Colleges
301 Degrees Awarded
$23,300 Avg Salary
Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $48-$75k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Religious Studies is the 115th most popular major in the country with 9,704 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, religious studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $32,163 and had an average of $28,712 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 406 religious studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $23,300 and $41,089 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 301 religious studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 15 colleges that offer a degree in religious studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality religious studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the religious studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Religious Studies Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 15 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Religious Studies (Income $48-$75k) in California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $48-$75k list, CSULB has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $10,807 for California Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full CSULB Religious Studies Report

#2

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. UCLA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 16 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $13,081 for california bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UCLA.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UCLA Religious Studies Report

#5 in overall quality

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Davis, California, this large public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2019-2020.

UC Davis also took the #5 spot in our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $13,578 for California Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Religious Studies at UC Davis

#9 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Riverside. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Riverside is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCR, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $12,290 for California Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Studies at UCR

#5

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Santa Barbara. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $48-$75k list, UCSB has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCSB is $15,343 for California Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Studies at UCSB

#7 in overall quality

University of California - Irvine came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s religion degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Irvine is $13,648 for california bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UC Irvine Religious Studies Report

California State University - Northridge ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Northridge is $10,783 for California Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Studies at California State University - Northridge

California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school handed out 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2019-2020.

Cal State Fullerton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $9,427 for California Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Religious Studies at Cal State Fullerton

#9

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. SDSU is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $14,730 for california bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full San Diego State University Religious Studies Report

#10

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#1 in overall quality

University of Southern California landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s religion degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $48-$75k list, USC has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for USC is $20,050 for California Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Religious Studies at USC

#11

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#10 in overall quality

San Francisco State University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SFSU is located in San Francisco, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.

SFSU also took the #10 spot in our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $16,661 for california bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SFSU.

Full San Francisco State University Religious Studies Report

#12

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California
#14 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. UC Santa Cruz is a public institution located in Santa Cruz, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Santa Cruz also made our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $15,253 for California Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Studies at University of California - Santa Cruz

Vanguard University of Southern California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. Vanguard is a private not-for-profit institution located in Costa Mesa, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Vanguard also took the #8 spot in our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $18,625 for California Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Vanguard.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Vanguard University of Southern California Religious Studies Report

#14

Westmont College

Santa Barbara, California

With a ranking of #14, Westmont College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Westmont is a private not-for-profit institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $48-$75k list, Westmont has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Westmont College is $28,279 for california bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Westmont Religious Studies Report

#15

California Baptist University

Riverside, California

With a ranking of #15, California Baptist University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Riverside, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s religion degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

Cal Baptist also took the #13 spot in our “Best Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Baptist is $23,255 for california bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Studies at Cal Baptist

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Sowlos.

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