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2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

125 Ranked Colleges
8,184 Degrees Awarded
$14,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Theology & Religious Vocations is the 25th most popular major in the country with 26,872 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, theology and religious vocations graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $34,203 and had an average of $35,660 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,184 theology and religious vocations graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 125 colleges that offered a degree in theology and religious vocations. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great theology and religious vocations 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 theology and religious vocations program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theology & Religious Vocations (Income $0-$30k)

#1

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $2,712 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive 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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at UChicago

#2

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Notre Dame. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Notre Dame, Indiana, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k list, Notre Dame has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Notre Dame is $12,498 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive 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 student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at University of Notre Dame

#3

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 125 schools in the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Boston College landed the #3 spot on the list. Boston College is a fairly large school located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts that handed out 15 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Boston College, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Boston College is $6,353 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Boston College

#4

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, Tennessee
#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Trevecca Nazarene University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Trevecca Nazarene University is a small school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 39 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

TNU also made our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Trevecca Nazarene University is $15,228 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at TNU

#5

Freed-Hardeman University

Henderson, Tennessee
#11 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Freed-Hardeman University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Henderson, Tennessee, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

FHU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Freed-Hardeman University is $13,512 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at FHU

#6

Johnson University

Knoxville, Tennessee
#17 in overall quality

Johnson University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Johnson University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 216 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Johnson University also made our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for Johnson University is $13,968 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Johnson University

#7

The Baptist College of Florida

Graceville, Florida

The Baptist College of Florida did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Graceville, Florida is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for The Baptist College of Florida is $7,252 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at The Baptist College of Florida

#8

Harding University

Searcy, Arkansas
#9 in overall quality

Harding University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Harding is located in Searcy, Arkansas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees to qualified students.

Harding did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $13,930 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Harding University.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Harding Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#9

Saint Louis Christian College

Florissant, Missouri

Saint Louis Christian College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Saint Louis Christian College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Florissant, Missouri. It awarded 15 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,079 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Saint Louis Christian College.

The 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 full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Saint Louis Christian College

#10

Kuyper College

Grand Rapids, Michigan
#5 in overall quality

Kuyper College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Kuyper is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 41 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees to qualified students.

Kuyper not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Kuyper College is $19,056 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. 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 Kuyper Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#11

Saint Johns University

Collegeville, Minnesota
#15 in overall quality

Saint Johns University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. SJU is located in Collegeville, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees to qualified students.

SJU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend SJU is $14,683 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Saint Johns University

#12

Ozark Christian College

Joplin, Missouri

With a ranking of #12, Ozark Christian College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Joplin, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 113 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theology and religious vocations students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Ozark Christian College is $13,905 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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%.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Ozark Christian College

#13

Lee University

Cleveland, Tennessee
Top 25% in overall quality

Lee University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Cleveland, Tennessee, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 135 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theology and religious vocations students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Lee University is $13,841 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Lee University Theology & Religious Vocations Report

Grace College and Theological Seminary landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Grace College and Theological Seminary is a small school located in Winona Lake, Indiana that handed out 57 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Grace College and Theological Seminary is $17,874 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Grace College and Theological Seminary

#15

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wheaton, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees to 46 students in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois also took the #19 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $18,440 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Wheaton College Illinois

Top 25% in overall quality

Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. MBTS is a private not-for-profit institution located in Kansas City, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 63 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $17,336 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend MBTS.

Full MBTS Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#17

Lancaster Bible College

Lancaster, Pennsylvania
#8 in overall quality

Lancaster Bible College landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 138 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lancaster Bible College, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $18,669 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lancaster Bible College.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Lancaster Bible College

#18

Taylor University

Upland, Indiana
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Taylor University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Taylor U is located in Upland, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Taylor U, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $18,399 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Taylor University.

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 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Taylor U Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#19

Clarks Summit University

South Abington Township, Pennsylvania

Clarks Summit University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. CSU is a private not-for-profit institution located in South Abington Township, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CSU is $15,879 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Clarks Summit University Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#18 in overall quality

Vanguard University of Southern California came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Vanguard is a small school located in Costa Mesa, California that handed out 7 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k list, Vanguard has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $15,222 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Vanguard.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Vanguard University of Southern California

#21

Bob Jones University

Greenville, South Carolina

Bob Jones University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Greenville, South Carolina, and it awarded 51 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bob Jones University is $10,076 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Bob Jones University

#22

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $20,051 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Saint Louis University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Saint Louis University

#23

Blue Mountain College

Blue Mountain, Mississippi

Blue Mountain College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. Blue Mountain College is located in Blue Mountain, Mississippi and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $10,708 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Blue Mountain College.

Full Blue Mountain College Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#21 in overall quality

Franciscan University of Steubenville came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Franciscan U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Steubenville, Ohio. It awarded 122 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

Franciscan U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Franciscan U is $18,799 for Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Franciscan U Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#25

Indiana Wesleyan University

Marion, Indiana
Top 25% in overall quality

Indiana Wesleyan University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. IWU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Marion, Indiana. It awarded 58 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Indiana Wesleyan University is $17,450 for bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at IWU

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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 Daderot.

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