by our College Data Analytics Team
[Religious Education](/majors/theology-and-religious-vocations/religious-education/religious-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 130 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for religious education students.
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The religious education program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. To help, we created our Best Value Religious Education Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
Learn more about our methodology
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Religious Education Schools list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Read more about College Factual’s methodology
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in religious education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary tops our 2026 list of the best value religious education schools in the United States. Set in the suburb of Wake Forest, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,318. Early-career religious education graduates make about $54,863. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
University Of The Cumberlands came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value religious education schools. Located in the town of Williamsburg, University Of The Cumberlands is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,875. Typical student debt for religious education graduates is $23,371. Religious Education graduates of University Of The Cumberlands earn a median of $50,547 early in their careers. Set against $23,371 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at North Park University earned it the #3 place for religious education. Located in the city of Chicago, North Park University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $36,710. Students borrow a median of $27,360 to complete the religious education program here. Religious Education graduates of North Park University earn a median of $51,611 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. North Park University admits about 68% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Azusa Pacific University earned it the #4 place for religious education. Azusa Pacific University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Azusa. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $44,458. Religious Education graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, religious education degree recipients from Azusa Pacific University generally make around $58,302. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value religious education schools. Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Mount Vernon. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $27,193. Students borrow a median of $26,602 to complete the religious education program here. Soon after graduation, religious education degree recipients from Mount Vernon Nazarene University generally make around $53,377. Set against $26,602 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Trinity International University Illinois placed #6 among the best values for religious education. Set in the suburb of Deerfield, Trinity International University Illinois is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,320. Students borrow a median of $32,934 to complete the religious education program here. Religious Education graduates of Trinity International University Illinois earn a median of $31,903 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $32,934 median debt. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
Grand Canyon University came in at #7 for value in religious education this year. Set in the city of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University is a very large private for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $18,508 in tuition and fees. Religious Education graduates carry a median of $35,436 in student loans. Early-career religious education graduates make about $40,439. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef Dspinka placed #8 among the best values for religious education. Located in the city of Brooklyn, Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef Dspinka is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,500. Religious Education graduates of Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef Dspinka earn a median of $14,771 early in their careers.
Franciscan University Of Steubenville came in at #9 for value in religious education this year. Franciscan University Of Steubenville is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Steubenville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,100. Religious Education graduates carry a median of $26,980 in student loans. Early-career religious education graduates make about $35,803. That is a strong return on a $26,980 median debt. Franciscan University Of Steubenville admits about 58% of applicants.
Concordia University Seward landed the #10 spot for religious education value this year. Located in the town of Seward, Concordia University Seward is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $40,640 in tuition and fees. Religious Education graduates carry a median of $29,000 in student loans. Religious Education graduates of Concordia University Seward earn a median of $55,023 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Moody Bible Institute came in at #11 for value in religious education this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Moody Bible Institute is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,786. Religious Education graduates carry a median of $14,000 in student loans. Religious Education graduates of Moody Bible Institute earn a median of $30,671 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 83%.
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value religious education schools. Located in the city of Kansas City, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,530. Typical student debt for religious education graduates is $15,559. Early-career religious education graduates make about $55,308. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary admits about 96% of applicants.
Wheaton College Illinois came in at #13 for value in religious education this year. Set in the suburb of Wheaton, Wheaton College Illinois is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $45,546. Typical student debt for religious education graduates is $25,000. Religious Education graduates of Wheaton College Illinois earn a median of $37,880 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Wheaton College Illinois admits about 87% of applicants.
Crown College placed #14 among the best values for religious education. Set in the rural area of Saint Bonifacius, Crown College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $31,410 in tuition and fees. Religious Education graduates carry a median of $25,937 in student loans. Soon after graduation, religious education degree recipients from Crown College generally make around $33,368. That is a strong return on a $25,937 median debt. Roughly 23% of applicants are accepted.
Jewish Theological Seminary Of America came in at #15 for value in religious education this year. Jewish Theological Seminary Of America is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. In-state tuition and fees average $71,910. Religious Education graduates carry a median of $16,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, religious education degree recipients from Jewish Theological Seminary Of America generally make around $78,469. Set against $16,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 49% of applicants are accepted.
Liberty University placed #16 among the best values for religious education. Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lynchburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,173. Students borrow a median of $27,414 to complete the religious education program here. Early-career religious education graduates make about $45,877. That is a strong return on a $27,414 median debt. The acceptance rate is 99%.
Dallas Baptist University placed #17 among the best values for religious education. Set in the city of Dallas, Dallas Baptist University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $40,190. Typical student debt for religious education graduates is $21,500. Religious Education graduates of Dallas Baptist University earn a median of $32,426 early in their careers. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Religious Education. Browse the parent area of study.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 130 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 14 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.