2026 Best Religion/Religious Studies Schools in California
Religion/Religious Studies degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their religion/religious studies programs.
College Factual analyzed 50 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best religion/religious studies schools.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Religion/Religious Studies in California
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the religion/religious studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Religion/Religious Studies
Leading the list is University Of California Santa Barbara, our #1 school for religion/religious studies. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Santa Barbara. Roughly 83% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 31 religion/religious studies students who graduated with this degree at University Of California Santa Barbara in the most recent data year. Students who receive their religion/religious studies degree from University Of California Santa Barbara earn around $19,911 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,873.
Read more about the religion/religious studies program at University Of California Santa Barbara
Students looking for a strong religion/religious studies program will find one at Vanguard University Of Southern California, which ranked #2. This mid-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Costa Mesa. Roughly 57% of students complete a degree within six years here. Vanguard University Of Southern California awarded about 18 religion/religious studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the religion/religious studies program make about $80,727 in their early career. Vanguard University Of Southern California graduates carry a median of $21,111 in student loans.
See the full religion/religious studies program report for Vanguard University Of Southern California
Mount St Marys College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in religion/religious studies, landing the #3 spot this year. This mid-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Los Angeles. Roughly 48% of students complete a degree within six years here. Mount St Marys College awarded about 13 religion/religious studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, religion/religious studies degree recipients from Mount St Marys College generally make around $58,110. Mount St Marys College graduates carry a median of $27,555 in student loans.
Read more about the religion/religious studies program at Mount St Marys College
More Religion/Religious Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 50 schools evaluated.
- 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.
