Religious Music and Worship: 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 5 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Religious Music and Worship pays
Career outlook for Religious Music and Worship graduates
The job market for the occupations Religious Music and Worship 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directors, religious activities and education | 138,900 | +2.1% | $54,840 | Bachelor's degree |
| Religious workers, all other | 88,400 | +0.6% | $45,120 | Bachelor's degree |
| Music directors and composers | 47,300 | -0.3% | $63,670 | Bachelor's degree |
| Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary | 27,300 | +0.7% | $78,050 | 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.
Religious Music and Worship vs similar majors
How Religious Music and Worship stacks up against the closest fields in Theology & Religious Vocations on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Religious Music and Worship Theology & Religious Vocations · this major | Theological and Ministerial Studies | Theology and Religious Vocations, Other | Religious Education | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 17 F | 35 D | 29 F | 21 F |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Strong return | Break-even | Poor return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $44,735 | $60,227 | $56,863 | $47,024 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $38,511 | $48,242 | $46,800 | $35,838 |
| ROI vs cost | -103% | +75% | +38% | -75% |
| Typical debt | $32,172 | $41,317 | $38,724 | $28,193 |
| Colleges offering it | 5 | 132 | 14 | 17 |
Religious Music and Worship 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 Religious Music and Worship
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 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA | Certificate | $61,340 | $40,594 | +24% | Break-even |
| 2 | Yale University New Haven, CT | Certificate | $51,142 | — | -35% | Poor return |
| 3 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA | Associate's | $37,322 | $23,750 | -214% | Poor return |
| 4 | Visible Music College Memphis, TN | Associate's | $35,942 | — | -263% | Poor return |
| 5 | Asbury University Wilmore, KY | Associate's | $37,929 | — | -265% | 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.