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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theology & Religious Vocations in the Great Lakes Region

22 Ranked Colleges
1,570 Degrees Awarded
$22,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 4,572 theology and religious vocations graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,777 and $36,047 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,570 theology and religious vocations graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 22 colleges that offer a degree in theology and religious vocations. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality theology and religious vocations programs that also have a lower cost than 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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 in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students.

Top 22 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theology & Religious Vocations in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Moody Bible Institute

Chicago, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Moody Bible Institute. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 512 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theology and religious vocations students in 2019-2020.

Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $16,646 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students per year to attend Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School.

Full Moody Bible Institute Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#2

Kuyper College

Grand Rapids, Michigan
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Kuyper College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Grand Rapids, Michigan 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 41 students in 2019-2020.

Kuyper not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Kuyper College is $20,716 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students.

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%. 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.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Kuyper College

#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Marion, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 46 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theology and religious vocations students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students list, IWU has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $22,207 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students per year to attend Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global.

Full IWU Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#4

Grace Christian University

Wyoming, Michigan
#16 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grace Christian University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Wyoming, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 56 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theology and religious vocations students in 2019-2020.

Grace also took the #16 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $12,679 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students per year to attend Grace Christian University.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Grace

#5

Maranatha Baptist University

Watertown, Wisconsin
#15 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Maranatha Baptist University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region. Maranatha Baptist University is a small school located in Watertown, Wisconsin that handed out 17 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

MBU also made our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $18,736 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students per year to attend Maranatha Baptist University.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at MBU

#6

Ohio Christian University

Circleville, Ohio
#18 in overall quality

Ohio Christian University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Ohio Christian University is located in Circleville, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 56 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at OCU, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio Christian University is $24,500 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students.

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 OCU Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#12 in overall quality

Grace College and Theological Seminary landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Grace College is located in Winona Lake, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 57 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees to qualified students.

Grace College also made our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Grace College and Theological Seminary is $20,820 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students.

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%.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Grace College and Theological Seminary

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Indiana Wesleyan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. IWU is located in Marion, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees to qualified students.

IWU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $20,946 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students per year to attend Indiana Wesleyan University.

Full Indiana Wesleyan University Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#7 in overall quality

Franciscan University of Steubenville landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Franciscan U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Steubenville, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 122 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Franciscan U also made our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for Franciscan U is $24,918 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Franciscan U

#10

Andrews University

Berrien Springs, Michigan
#8 in overall quality

Andrews University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Berrien Springs, Michigan 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 13 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Andrews, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Andrews is $21,934 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Andrews

#11

Taylor University

Upland, Indiana
#6 in overall quality

Taylor University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Taylor University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Upland, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Taylor U, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Taylor University is $25,888 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full Taylor University Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#12

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Olivet Nazarene University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Bourbonnais, 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 34 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Olivet Nazarene, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Olivet Nazarene University is $20,195 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Olivet Nazarene University

#13

Cornerstone University

Grand Rapids, Michigan
#21 in overall quality

Cornerstone University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. This small school is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cornerstone, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $20,740 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students per year to attend Cornerstone University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Cornerstone

#14

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. 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 #5 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $25,358 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students per year to attend Wheaton College Illinois.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Wheaton College Illinois

#15

Malone University

Canton, Ohio
#17 in overall quality

Malone University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Canton, Ohio 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 17 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Malone, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Malone University is $19,897 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Malone

#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Trinity International University - Illinois did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Deerfield, 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 21 students in 2019-2020.

TIU Illinois not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Trinity International University - Illinois is $21,204 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students.

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 more about Theology & Religious Vocations at TIU Illinois

#17

Concordia University, Wisconsin

Mequon, Wisconsin
#19 in overall quality

Concordia University, Wisconsin landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Mequon, Wisconsin, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Concordia University, Wisconsin, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Wisconsin is $23,855 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Concordia University, Wisconsin

#18

Anderson University Indiana

Anderson, Indiana
#20 in overall quality

Anderson University Indiana did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #18. Anderson University Indiana is a private not-for-profit institution located in Anderson, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Anderson University Indiana also took the #20 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $22,351 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students per year to attend Anderson University Indiana.

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.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Anderson University Indiana

#19

Concordia University, Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Concordia University, Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

Concordia University, Ann Arbor also made our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Ann Arbor is $24,557 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree theology & religious vocations students.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low 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%.

Full Concordia University, Ann Arbor Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#20

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #20. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $35,407 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students per year to attend Loyola Chicago.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Loyola Chicago Theology & Religious Vocations Report

#21

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#1 in overall quality

University of Notre Dame ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 48 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theology and religious vocations students in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Notre Dame is $33,025 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, 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. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Notre Dame

#22

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

University of Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #22. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 4 bachelors’s theology and religious vocations degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $27,315 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Theology & Religious Vocations students.

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 low 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%. 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

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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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