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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Religious Studies in the Far Western US Region

26 Ranked Colleges
75 Degrees Awarded
$35,100 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 9,470 people earned their degree in religious studies, making the major the 90th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, religious studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,289 and had an average of $24,431 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Far Western US region, there were 544 religious studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $25,282 and $18,584 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 75 religious studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $61,693 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region” ranking, we looked at 26 colleges that offer a degree in religious studies. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in religious studies.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region”.

Top 26 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Religious Studies in the Far Western US Region

1

Out of the 26 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Academy for Jewish Religion - California landed the #1 spot on the list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s religion degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Academy for Jewish Religion - California Religious Studies Report

2
Claremont School of Theology crest
Claremont School of Theology
Claremont, California

Out of the 26 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Claremont School of Theology landed the #2 spot on the list. Claremont School of Theology is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 17 masters’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Religious Studies at Claremont School of Theology

3
Institute of Buddhist Studies crest
Institute of Buddhist Studies
Berkeley, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Institute of Buddhist Studies. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. Institute of Buddhist Studies is a private not-for-profit institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Institute of Buddhist Studies Religious Studies Report

4

Out of the 26 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Pacific Rim Christian University landed the #4 spot on the list. Honolulu, Hawaii is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s religion degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Religious Studies at Pacific Rim Christian University

5
UWest crest
University of the West
Rosemead, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of the West. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. UWest is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rosemead, California. It awarded 4 masters’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Religious Studies at University of the West

6
Claremont Graduate University crest
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, California

With a ranking of #6, Claremont Graduate University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. Claremont Graduate University is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 masters’s religion degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Claremont Graduate University Religious Studies Report

7
SCU crest
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, California

Santa Clara University ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. SCU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Santa Clara, California. It awarded 17 masters’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, 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 undergraduate students.

Read full report on Religious Studies at SCU

8
MSMU crest
Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #8, Mount Saint Mary’s University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s religion degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 full report on Religious Studies at Mount Saint Mary’s University

9
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified masters’s religion students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Stanford University Religious Studies Report

10
Loma Linda University crest
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, California

With a ranking of #10, Loma Linda University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. Loma Linda University is located in Loma Linda, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 masters’s religion degrees to qualified students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%.

Full Loma Linda University Religious Studies Report

11
Pepperdine crest
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

Pepperdine University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #11. Pepperdine University is a fairly large school located in Malibu, California that handed out 2 masters’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Studies at Pepperdine

12

With a ranking of #12, University of Hawaii at Manoa did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. University of Hawaii at Manoa is a public institution located in Honolulu, Hawaii. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Studies at UH Manoa

13

University of California - Riverside ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. University of California - Riverside is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 3 masters’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Riverside Religious Studies Report

14

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #14. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 3 masters’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full CSULB Religious Studies Report

15

University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 masters’s religion degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full UCSB Religious Studies Report

16

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #16. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 2 masters’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Religious Studies at UC Davis

17

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. 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

18

University of Washington - Seattle Campus ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified masters’s religion students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Religious Studies Report

19
GFU crest
George Fox University
Newberg, Oregon

George Fox University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. This small school is located in Newberg, Oregon, and it awarded 0 masters’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.

Full GFU Religious Studies Report

19
Bethel Seminary - San Diego crest
Bethel Seminary - San Diego
San Diego, California

Bethel Seminary - San Diego came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 0 diplomas to qualified masters’s religion students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 Bethel Seminary - San Diego

19
Simpson U crest
Simpson University
Redding, California

With a ranking of #19, Simpson University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. Redding, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s religion degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Religious Studies at Simpson University

19
Gonzaga crest
Gonzaga University
Spokane, Washington

With a ranking of #19, Gonzaga University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Spokane, Washington, and it awarded 8 masters’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Gonzaga Religious Studies Report

19
Warner Pacific crest
Warner Pacific University
Portland, Oregon

Warner Pacific University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Portland, Oregon is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s religion degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Religious Studies at Warner Pacific University

19
California Graduate School of Theology crest
California Graduate School of Theology
Garden-Grove, California

California Graduate School of Theology came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Garden-Grove, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 degrees to qualified masters’s religion students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Religious Studies at California Graduate School of Theology

19
UO crest
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

University of Oregon came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. University of Oregon is a large public school situated in Eugene, Oregon. It awarded 6 masters’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Oregon Religious Studies Report

19
La Sierra crest
La Sierra University
Riverside, California

La Sierra University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Religion Major in the Far Western US Region list. La Sierra is a small school located in Riverside, California that handed out 3 masters’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full La Sierra Religious Studies Report

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