by our College Data Analytics Team
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 3,626 people earned their degree in religion/religious studies, making the major the 189th most popular in the United States.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,833 religion/religious studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major” ranking, we looked at 551 colleges that offer a degree in religion/religious studies. That schools that top this list have a program in religion/religious studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
The religion school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major”.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Graduate School of Theology. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major. California Graduate School of Theology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Garden-Grove, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at California Graduate School of Theology
Out of the 551 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Faith International University landed the #2 spot on the list. Faith International University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Tacoma, Washington. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wabash College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major. Located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 17 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 551 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Arkansas Baptist College landed the #4 spot on the list. This small school is located in Little Rock, Arkansas, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at Arkansas Baptist College
Out of the 551 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Martin University landed the #5 spot on the list. Martin University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 4 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.
Texas College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking, coming in at #6. This small school is located in Tyler, Texas, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.
Vanguard University of Southern California came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. Vanguard University of Southern California is a small school located in Costa Mesa, California that handed out 26 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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%.
Full Vanguard University of Southern California Religion/Religious Studies Report
Clinton College ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Located in Rock Hill, South Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate 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.
Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at Clinton College
Birmingham Southern College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. Birmingham Southern College is located in Birmingham, Alabama and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.
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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Hellenic College - Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Hellenic College - Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology is a small school located in Brookline, Massachusetts that handed out 1 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Paul Quinn College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. Located in Dallas, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at Paul Quinn College
With a ranking of #12, Allen University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Located in Columbia, South Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2020-2021.
Southern Wesleyan University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. SWU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Central, South Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Southern Wesleyan University Religion/Religious Studies Report
University of Mobile ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. University of Mobile is a private not-for-profit institution located in Mobile, Alabama. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Principia College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking, coming in at #15. Principia College is located in Elsah, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.
Liberty University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. Liberty University is located in Lynchburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 698 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Religion/Religious Studies at Liberty University
The King’s College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking, coming in at #17. TKC is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 3 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Westmont College ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s religion students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Cornell College ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Mount Vernon, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s religion degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.
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 more about Religion/Religious Studies at Cornell College
With a ranking of #20, Guilford College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Guilford is located in Greensboro, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.
St Olaf College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. This small school is located in Northfield, Minnesota, and it awarded 23 bachelors’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 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Lane College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking. Jackson, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s religion degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.
Hillsdale College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Hillsdale College is located in Hillsdale, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Religion/Religious Studies at Hillsdale College
Erskine College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major ranking, coming in at #24. Erskine is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Due West, South Carolina. It awarded 3 bachelors’s religion degrees in 2020-2021.
Haverford College ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Religion Major list. Haverford College is located in Haverford, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s religion degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | University of St Thomas Minnesota | Saint Paul, MN |
| 52 | Hampden - Sydney College | Hampden-Sydney, VA |
| 53 | Loras College | Dubuque, IA |
| 54 | Bethel College - North Newton | North Newton, KS |
| 55 | Randolph - Macon College | Ashland, VA |
| 56 | Meredith College | Raleigh, NC |
| 57 | Beloit College | Beloit, WI |
| 58 | Ferrum College | Ferrum, VA |
| 58 | Gardner - Webb University | Boiling Springs, NC |
| 60 | Oakland City University | Oakland City, IN |
| 61 | Oklahoma City University | Oklahoma City, OK |
| 62 | Bayamon Central University | Bayamón, PR |
| 63 | Saint Mary’s College | Notre Dame, IN |
| 64 | Rhodes College | Memphis, TN |
| 65 | Catholic University of America | Washington, DC |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL |
| 66 | Franklin College | Franklin, IN |
| 68 | Schreiner University | Kerrville, TX |
| 69 | Bowdoin College | Brunswick, ME |
| 70 | Hendrix College | Conway, AR |
| 71 | Jarvis Christian College | Hawkins, TX |
| 72 | Washington Adventist University | Takoma Park, MD |
| 73 | Hobart and William Smith Colleges | Geneva, NY |
| 74 | Catawba College | Salisbury, NC |
| 75 | Emory and Henry College | Emory, VA |
| 76 | Georgetown College | Georgetown, KY |
| 77 | The College of Wooster | Wooster, OH |
| 78 | Trinity College | Hartford, CT |
| 79 | Concordia College at Moorhead | Moorhead, MN |
| 80 | Pacific Lutheran University | Tacoma, WA |
| 81 | Cairn University | Langhorne, PA |
| 82 | Pomona College | Claremont, CA |
| 83 | Williams College | Williamstown, MA |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
