Religion/Religious Studies: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 49 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Religion/Religious Studies pays
Career outlook for Religion/Religious Studies graduates
The job market for the occupations Religion/Religious Studies graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary | 27,300 | +0.7% | $78,050 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary | 14,500 | +2.4% | $84,290 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Religion/Religious Studies vs similar majors
How Religion/Religious Studies stacks up against the closest fields in Philosophy & Religious Studies on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Religion/Religious Studies Philosophy & Religious Studies · this major | Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other | Philosophy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 23 F | 25 F | 37 D |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Break-even | Break-even |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $47,655 | $56,502 | $56,026 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $32,079 | $54,958 | $32,731 |
| ROI vs cost | -67% | +31% | +39% |
| Typical debt | $25,966 | $43,500 | $20,085 |
| Colleges offering it | 49 | 3 | 83 |
Religion/Religious Studies earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Religion/Religious Studies
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | Master's | $85,038 | — | +1,163% | Strong return |
| 2 | Emory University Atlanta, GA | Master's | $80,807 | — | +693% | Strong return |
| 3 | Jewish Theological Seminary of America New York, NY | Associate's | $98,891 | $16,750 | +483% | Strong return |
| 4 | Jewish Theological Seminary of America New York, NY | Doctoral | $123,237 | — | +353% | Strong return |
| 5 | Marquette University Milwaukee, WI | Master's | $73,388 | — | +351% | Strong return |
| 6 | University of Denver Denver, CO | Master's | $76,247 | — | +332% | Strong return |
| 7 | Fordham University Bronx, NY | Associate's | $85,741 | $25,247 | +316% | Strong return |
| 8 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | Associate's | $53,041 | — | +256% | Strong return |
| 9 | University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA | Associate's | $62,116 | $15,000 | +252% | Strong return |
| 10 | University of South Florida Tampa, FL | Associate's | $46,607 | — | -18% | Poor return |
| 11 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA | Associate's | $49,603 | $31,332 | -34% | Poor return |
| 12 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC | Associate's | $47,478 | $22,500 | -37% | Poor return |
| 13 | Evangel University Springfield, MO | Associate's | $47,618 | $22,369 | -42% | Poor return |
| 14 | University of St Thomas Saint Paul, MN | Associate's | $48,307 | $19,500 | -49% | Poor return |
| 15 | University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA | Associate's | $47,387 | — | -69% | Poor return |
| 16 | Duke University Durham, NC | Certificate | $48,244 | — | -73% | Poor return |
| 17 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA | Associate's | $46,061 | — | -77% | Poor return |
| 18 | Furman University Greenville, SC | Associate's | $46,350 | — | -78% | Poor return |
| 19 | Baylor University Waco, TX | Associate's | $46,611 | $25,612 | -82% | Poor return |
| 20 | Cairn University-Langhorne Langhorne, PA | Associate's | $44,269 | $30,437 | -111% | Poor return |
| 21 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI | Associate's | $44,527 | — | -116% | Poor return |
| 22 | Luther College Decorah, IA | Associate's | $44,246 | — | -116% | Poor return |
| 23 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA | Certificate | $44,195 | $26,834 | -121% | Poor return |
| 24 | Whitworth University Spokane, WA | Associate's | $43,395 | $23,875 | -126% | Poor return |
| 25 | Ohio Christian University Circleville, OH | Associate's | $43,386 | $30,625 | -131% | Poor return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.