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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Religion/Religious Studies (Income $0-$30k)

98 Ranked Colleges
3,000 Degrees Awarded
$5,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Religion/Religious Studies is the 173rd most popular major in the country with 3,832 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,000 religion/religious studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 98 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in religion/religious studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great religion/religious studies programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the religion/religious studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Religion/Religious Studies Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” 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. 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 For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Religion/Religious Studies (Income $0-$30k)

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 98 schools in the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #1 spot on the list. UPenn is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.

UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $3,181 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Pennsylvania.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Pennsylvania Religion/Religious Studies Report

#2

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 98 schools in the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #2 spot on the list. Duke is located in Durham, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.

Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $-7,808 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Duke. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Duke University Religion/Religious Studies Report

#3

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northwestern is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 4 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $1,866 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwestern.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 Religion/Religious Studies at Northwestern University

#4

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dartmouth College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Dartmouth College is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Hanover, New Hampshire. It awarded 8 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dartmouth, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dartmouth College is $12,052 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at Dartmouth

#5

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Vanderbilt University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vanderbilt, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $3,156 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Vanderbilt.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Vanderbilt Religion/Religious Studies Report

#6

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. University of Florida is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for UF is $1,994 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UF Religion/Religious Studies Report

#7

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#5 in overall quality

Cornell University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cornell University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ithaca, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Cornell is $7,484 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Cornell Religion/Religious Studies Report

#8

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
#15 in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UNC Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 29 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

UNC Chapel Hill not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $4,026 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UNC Chapel Hill Religion/Religious Studies Report

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $4,367 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#10

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, William & Mary did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 11 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k list, William & Mary has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,711 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend William & Mary.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at William & Mary

#11

Hunter College

New York, New York

Hunter College landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Hunter College is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 12 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Hunter College is $320 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at Hunter College

#12

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina
#4 in overall quality

Wake Forest University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wake Forest University, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,250 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wake Forest University.

The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at Wake Forest University

#13

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Florida State is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Florida State is $5,360 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, 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 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Florida State Religion/Religious Studies Report

University of Washington - Seattle Campus came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $7,850 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at UW Seattle

California State University - Long Beach ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $6,364 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at CSULB

#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Columbia University in the City of New York did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s religion degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

Columbia also took the #6 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Columbia University in the City of New York is $8,916 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 Columbia Religion/Religious Studies Report

#17

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#18 in overall quality

Tufts University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tufts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Medford, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Tufts also made our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend Tufts University is $5,267 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at Tufts

#18

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia
#14 in overall quality

Emory University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k list, Emory has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Emory University is $11,468 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, 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 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at Emory

Florida International University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Miami, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s religion degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend FIU is $5,002 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at Florida International University

#20

Trinity College

Hartford, Connecticut
#17 in overall quality

Trinity College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Hartford, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s religion degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

Trinity Bantams also made our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for Trinity College is $6,256 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at Trinity Bantams

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ohio State is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 7 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,194 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Ohio State Religion/Religious Studies Report

#22

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#20 in overall quality

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2019-2020.

UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $8,553 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full University of California - Los Angeles Religion/Religious Studies Report

#23

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Athens, Georgia, this large public school awarded 27 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $7,541 for Bachelor’s Degree Religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at UGA

#24

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York
#11 in overall quality

Colgate University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Colgate University is located in Hamilton, New York and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.

Colgate also took the #11 spot in our “Best Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Colgate is $9,752 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Colgate University Religion/Religious Studies Report

#25

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Religion Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. North Carolina State University is a large public school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 7 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend NC State is $7,285 for bachelor’s degree religion students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at NC State

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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