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Religious Education

Religious Education graduates earn $43,633 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $28,064 and $57,392. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.

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About Religious Education

This page covers Religious Education as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Theology and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.

Religious Education is a focused area of study within Theology. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $43,633 four years out, a modest return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 135 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 1,185 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.

Median Earnings · 1yr: $32,351
Median Earnings · 4yr: $43,633
Colleges Offering: 135
Graduates / Year: 1,185
Avg Net Price / yr: $22,239

How Much Do Religious Education Graduates Earn?

Four years after finishing Religious Education, a typical graduate earns $43,633, significantly below average for bachelor's degree holders. Half of earners land somewhere between $28,064 and $57,392, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Source: College Scorecard.

What that figure means in practice depends on what the degree cost to get, which is a matter of lifetime earnings against total outlay.

$32,351

1 Year After Graduation

Earnings grow steadily as you advance past entry-level roles. The four-year figure is a better long-term target.

$43,633

4-Year National Median

Significantly below average. Graduate credentials or high-demand roles can raise this considerably.

$43,885

4-Year Institutional Median

Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.

Earnings Range

Not every Religious Education graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out a moderate amount, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Career path divergence explains most of the range. Law, consulting, and tech-adjacent roles pull the top end up; writing, education, and nonprofit roles tend to sit near the bottom.

$28,064 25th pct.

$43,633 Median

$57,392 75th pct.

Is the Cost Worth It?

At median 4-year earnings of $43,633 and an estimated $88,956 four-year net cost, earnings breakeven against a baseline wage takes approximately 6.5 years. Compare specific programs before committing to a high-cost option.

Based on outcomes from 98 schools. Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.

Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown

Of the 1,185 students who complete Religious Education programs each year, the majority (51%) earn a bachelor's degree. The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.

51% 36%

Bachelor's 51%

Master's 36%

Doctorate 8%

What Can You Do With a Religious Education Degree?

This degree does not lock you into one job. Religious Education graduates show up in 2 different occupations, and Philosophy and Religion Teachers pay the most at $80,260/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.

The best-paid of these is what Philosophy and Religion Teachers earn and how fast those roles are growing, though entry requirements vary across the list.

↗ +2.0% Zone 5: Extensive preparation

Philosophy and Religion Teachers

$80,260

$63K $105K 25th–75th pct.

Doctoral or professional degree 1,800 openings/yr 20K employed nationally

Reading Comprehension Instructing Speaking Active Listening Critical Thinking

Day-to-day responsibilities

Teach courses in philosophy, religion, and theology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students and the community on topics such as ethics, logic, and contemporary religious thought.

↗ +3.3% Zone 4: Considerable preparation

Directors

$52,100

$44K $74K 25th–75th pct.

Bachelor's degree 13,000 openings/yr 22K employed nationally

Speaking Social Perceptiveness Active Listening Reading Comprehension Critical Thinking

Day-to-day responsibilities

Coordinate or design programs and conduct outreach to promote the religious education or activities of a denominational group. May provide counseling, guidance, and leadership relative to marital, health, financial, and religious problems.

Develop or direct study courses or religious education programs within congregations.
Identify and recruit potential volunteer workers.
Select appropriate curricula or class structures for educational programs.

Top Colleges for Religious Education

Not sure where to study Religious Education? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.

Ranked by score, that list starts with the cost and outcomes at Grand Canyon University, and the rest follow the same measures.

#	College	Graduates	Acceptance	Net Price/yr	Earnings 10yr
1	Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ · Nonprofit	362	78.9%	$22,472	$42,186
2	Liberty University Lynchburg, VA · Nonprofit	63	99%	$29,357	$44,813
3	Franciscan University of Steubenville Steubenville, OH · Nonprofit	62	58.4%	$23,589	$50,030
4	Wheaton College Wheaton, IL · Nonprofit	37	87.4%	$26,975	$63,756
5	Crown College Saint Bonifacius, MN · Nonprofit	33	22.8%	$26,672	$48,057
6	University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY · Nonprofit	32	98.8%	$14,107	$45,036
7	Moody Bible Institute Chicago, IL · Nonprofit	28	82.7%	$22,221	$45,399
8	Trinity International University-Illinois Deerfield, IL · Nonprofit	22	100%	$2,835	$46,989
9	Dallas Baptist University Dallas, TX · Nonprofit	21	88.8%	$28,516	$56,807
10	Mount Vernon Nazarene University Mount Vernon, OH · Nonprofit	20	84.2%	$22,421	$49,555
11	Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Kansas City, MO · Nonprofit	20	96.4%	$23,006	$50,535
12	North Park University Chicago, IL · Nonprofit	16	68.5%	$16,948	$59,572
13	Lee University Cleveland, TN · Nonprofit	15	70.5%	$18,878	$43,222
14	Concordia University-Nebraska Seward, NE · Nonprofit	15	85.7%	$23,965	$52,415
15	Biola University La Mirada, CA · Nonprofit	14	74.4%	$31,495	$56,778
16	Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA · Nonprofit	12	88.4%	$22,212	$66,677
17	Messiah University Mechanicsburg, PA · Nonprofit	11	79%	$26,502	$54,064
18	Bethel University Saint Paul, MN · Nonprofit	11	87.8%	$28,556	$63,764
19	Toccoa Falls College Toccoa Falls, GA · Nonprofit	11	66%	$21,642	$36,630
20	Grace Christian University Wyoming, MI · Nonprofit	11	99.2%	$12,404	$41,663

View all colleges

Ranked by Religious Education graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →

Plan Your Path

Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Religious Education program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find schools that match your profile.

College ROI Calculator

See if a Religious Education degree pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings its graduates actually see.

College Cost Calculator

Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.

Compare Colleges

Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.

College Match Quiz

Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.

Religious Education Degree: Pros & Cons

Religious Education carries financial trade-offs prospective students should weigh carefully. The 2 strengths and 4 concerns below are drawn from College Scorecard earnings, BLS job growth data, and IPEDS completion counts.

PROS

Strong salary growth Median earnings climb from $32,351 at graduation to $43,633 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
Strong hiring volume Related occupations generate more than 14,800 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.

CONS

Below-average earnings Four-year median of $43,633 falls below the national median for bachelor's degree holders.
Advanced degree often expected Top roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Long earnings breakeven At median salary and average net price, recovering education costs versus a baseline wage takes roughly 6.5 years.
High earnings variance Gap between 25th ($28,064) and 75th ($57,392) percentile is wide. Where you land depends heavily on employer, role, and location.

Religious Education Degree: Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Religious Education graduates earn?

$43,633 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $28,064 and $57,392, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.

What is the starting salary for a Religious Education degree?

$32,351 in the first year out. That grows to $43,633 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.

What jobs can you get with a Religious Education degree?

Philosophy and Religion Teachers are one path, and it pays a median of $80,260 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.

How long does a Religious Education program take?

Four years of full-time study for a Religious Education bachelor's degree, the standard timeline for this field. If you want a faster route into the workforce, community colleges offer a two-year associate option instead.

How many colleges offer Religious Education?

135 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.

Is a Religious Education degree worth it?

$43,633 median earnings four years out against $22,239 a year in average net price. That is a slow payback, so cost matters more than usual here: a cheaper school changes the answer. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.

What is the difference between Religious Education and Theology?

Religious Education is the narrower of the two: Theology covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Religious Education-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.

What skills do employers look for in Religious Education graduates?

Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Religious Education graduates consistently look for writing, critical analysis, and cross-cultural communication. Employers value the ability to synthesize complex information clearly, skills that transfer into communications, law, consulting, and content roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.

What is the job outlook for Religious Education graduates?

Outlook is slow overall: related occupations average +2.7% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Directors are among the strongest-growth roles at +3.3%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.