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2024 Best Value Colleges for Theology & Religious Vocations in California

9 Ranked Colleges
2,128 Degrees Awarded
$24,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 27,459 people earned their degree in theology & religious vocations, making the major the 26th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, theology & religious vocations graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $36,020 and had an average of $26,322 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 2,128 theology & religious vocations graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,875 and $25,334 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California” ranking looked at 9 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in theology & religious vocations. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality theology & 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 & religious vocations program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California” list to help you make the college decision.

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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for california theology & religious vocations students.

Top 9 Best Value Colleges for Theology & Religious Vocations in California

1
Fuller crest
Fuller Theological Seminary
Pasadena, California

Out of the 9 schools in the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Fuller Theological Seminary landed the #1 spot on the list. Fuller is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 492 ’s theology & religious vocations degrees in 2020-2021.

Fuller not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California” list.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 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 Fuller

2
The Master's University crest
The Master's University and Seminary
Santa Clarita, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The Master’s University and Seminary. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California. The Master’s University and Seminary is a private not-for-profit institution located in Santa Clarita, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 235 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at The Master’s University, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The Master’s University and Seminary is $30,238 for california theology & religious vocations students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theology & Religious Vocations at The Master’s University and Seminary

3
School of Urban Missions crest
SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary
El Dorado Hills, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California. School of Urban Missions is a small school located in El Dorado Hills, California that handed out 105 ’s theology & religious vocations degrees in 2020-2021.

School of Urban Missions not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for School of Urban Missions is $19,115 for California Theology & Religious Vocations students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary Theology & Religious Vocations Report

4
Biola crest
Biola University
La Mirada, California

Out of the 9 schools in the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Biola University landed the #4 spot on the list. Biola is a private not-for-profit institution located in La Mirada, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 258 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Biola did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Biola is $33,269 for California Theology & Religious Vocations students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Biola Theology & Religious Vocations Report

5
LIFE Bible College crest
Life Pacific College
San Dimas, California

Out of the 9 schools in the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Life Pacific College landed the #5 spot on the list. LIFE Bible College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Dimas, California. It awarded 78 ’s theology & religious vocations degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california theology & religious vocations students list, LIFE Bible College has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $20,583 for california theology & religious vocations students per year to attend LIFE Bible College.

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.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Life Pacific College

6
Fresno Pacific crest
Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, California

Fresno Pacific University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California list. Fresno Pacific University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 27 ’s theology & religious vocations degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Fresno Pacific, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Fresno Pacific University is $19,029 for California Theology & Religious Vocations students.

The low undergrad 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 more about Theology & Religious Vocations at Fresno Pacific

7
Azusa Pacific crest
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California

Azusa Pacific University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California ranking. Azusa, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theology & religious vocations degrees to 79 students in 2020-2021.

Azusa Pacific also took the #4 spot in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Azusa Pacific University is $30,744 for california theology & religious vocations students.

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%. 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.

Read full report on Theology & Religious Vocations at Azusa Pacific University

8

With a ranking of #8, Westminster Theological Seminary in California did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California list. This small school is located in Escondido, California, and it awarded 36 ’s theology & religious vocations degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california theology & religious vocations students list, Westminster Seminary California has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California” ranking.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Westminster Theological Seminary in California Theology & Religious Vocations Report

9
Hope crest
Hope International University
Fullerton, California

Hope International University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California ranking. Hope is located in Fullerton, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 79 ’s theology & religious vocations degrees to qualified students.

Hope not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Theology & Religious Vocations Schools in California” list. It costs about $21,437 for california theology & religious vocations students per year to attend Hope International University.

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

Full Hope International University Theology & Religious Vocations Report

Notes and References

References

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