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2023 Best Value Colleges for Religious Education (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

10 Ranked Colleges
292 Degrees Awarded
$16,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 1,417 people earned their degree in religious education, making the major the 216th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, religious education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $30,694 and had an average of $27,203 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 292 religious education graduates with average earnings and debt of $26,278 and $24,114 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 10 colleges that offered a degree in religious education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great religious education programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the religious education program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region religious ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 10 Best Value Colleges for Religious Education (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

1
Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School crest
Moody Bible Institute
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 10 schools in the Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Moody Bible Institute landed the #1 spot on the list. Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 29 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Religious Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $19,072 for great lakes region religious ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Education at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School

2
Wheaton College Illinois crest
Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wheaton College Illinois. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wheaton College Illinois is located in Wheaton, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 ’s religious ed degrees to qualified students.

Wheaton College Illinois did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Religious Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $18,519 for great lakes region religious ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Religious Education at Wheaton College Illinois

3
Olivet Nazarene crest
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Olivet Nazarene University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 degrees to qualified ’s religious ed students in 2020-2021.

Olivet Nazarene did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Religious Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene is $15,658 for Great Lakes Region Religious Ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Religious Education at Olivet Nazarene University

4

Out of the 10 schools in the Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Grace Christian University landed the #4 spot on the list. This small school is located in Wyoming, Michigan, and it awarded 8 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Grace also took the #9 spot in our “Best Religious Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,255 for Great Lakes Region Religious Ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Grace Christian University.

Full Grace Religious Education Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Franciscan University of Steubenville. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Steubenville, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s religious ed degrees to 63 students in 2020-2021.

Franciscan U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Religious Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Franciscan U is $18,170 for great lakes region religious ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Education at Franciscan U

6

Lincoln Christian University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Lincoln Christian College and Seminary is located in Lincoln, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 ’s religious ed degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region religious ed students whose families make $30-$48k list, Lincoln Christian College and Seminary has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Religious Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lincoln Christian University is $13,524 for Great Lakes Region Religious Ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Religious Education at Lincoln Christian University

7

With a ranking of #7, Trinity International University - Illinois did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. TIU Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Deerfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 39 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

TIU Illinois also took the #3 spot in our “Best Religious Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for TIU Illinois is $19,089 for great lakes region religious ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

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.

Read full report on Religious Education at TIU Illinois

8
Ashland crest
Ashland University
Ashland, Ohio

Ashland University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Ashland is a small school located in Ashland, Ohio that handed out 4 ’s religious ed degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region religious ed students whose families make $30-$48k list, Ashland has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Religious Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,311 for Great Lakes Region Religious Ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ashland.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 Religious Education at Ashland University

9
Cornerstone crest
Cornerstone University
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Cornerstone University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified ’s religious ed students in 2020-2021.

Cornerstone also made our “Best Religious Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for Cornerstone University is $18,391 for Great Lakes Region Religious Ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 Religious Education at Cornerstone University

10

Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Religious Ed Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. IWU is located in Marion, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 34 ’s religious ed degrees to qualified students.

IWU also made our “Best Religious Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global is $18,666 for Great Lakes Region Religious Ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 IWU Religious Education Report

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