Religion/Religious Studies programs
CIP 3802 · Philosophy & Religious Studies · ranked by median earnings four years after completion
51 institutions report graduate earnings for Religion/Religious Studies programs (College Scorecard, 2024-25). Across them the median is $48,164 four years after completion, with a typical debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51× and 73% of graduates earning above the federal earnings threshold. Indicatively, 19 of the 56 programs with both earnings and a benchmark fall below the earnings-premium benchmark used by the 2025 federal test (effective July 1, 2026); the rest clear it.
| # | Institution | Earn 4yr | % > threshold | Median debt | Debt/earn | Earnings premium | 2 of 3 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jewish Theological Seminary of AmericaNY · Professional | $122,250 n=18 | 94% 5yr | $68,200 | 0.56× | Above +72% | Clears 2/2 |
| 2 | Yeshivas Be'er YitzchokNJ · Bachelor's | $98,832 n=25 | 77% 1yr | — | — | Above +148% | — |
| 3 | Emory UniversityGA · Doctoral | $76,175 n=26 | 91% 5yr | $50,000 | 0.66× | Above +21% | Clears 2/2 |
| 4 | Jewish Theological Seminary of AmericaNY · Bachelor's | $74,060 n=24 | 94% 5yr | $16,750 | 0.23× | Above +95% | — |
| 5 | Ner Israel Rabbinical CollegeMD · Bachelor's | $73,567 n=19 | — | — | — | Above +75% | — |
| 6 | Wesley Theological SeminaryDC · Master's | $72,079 n=76 | 78% 5yr | $43,300 | 0.60× | Below -17% | Below 2/2 |
| 7 | Duke UniversityNC · Master's | $71,038 n=21 | 71% 5yr | $39,231 | 0.55× | Above +21% | Below 1/2 |
| 8 | Wabash CollegeIN · Bachelor's | $69,988 n=21 | — | $27,000 | 0.39× | Above +87% | — |
| 9 | Faith International UniversityWA · Bachelor's | $64,235 n=17 | 67% 1yr | $22,209 | 0.35× | Above +51% | — |
| 10 | Fordham UniversityNY · Bachelor's | $61,877 n=23 | 100% 5yr | $25,247 | 0.41× | Above +63% | Clears 2/2 |
| 11 | University of California-DavisCA · Bachelor's | $59,448 n=17 | — | $13,051 | 0.22× | Above +55% | — |
| 12 | Crown CollegeMN · Master's | $59,184 n=39 | 79% 1yr | $20,500 | 0.35× | Below -13% | — |
| 13 | Beth Medrash GovohaNJ · Bachelor's | $59,036 n=233 | 56% | — | — | Above +48% | Clears 2/2 |
| 14 | University of Virginia-Main CampusVA · Bachelor's | $58,324 n=24 | 87% 5yr | $15,000 | 0.26× | Above +53% | Clears 2/2 |
| 15 | Cairn University-LanghornePA · Bachelor's | $55,492 n=49 | 100% | $30,437 | 0.55× | Above +47% | Clears 2/2 |
| 16 | Claremont Graduate UniversityCA · Doctoral | $54,096 n=19 | — | $189,344 | 3.50× | Below -28% | Below 2/2 |
| 17 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionAZ · Bachelor's | $53,789 n=25 | — | $21,000 | 0.39× | Above +46% | — |
| 18 | Arizona State University Digital ImmersionAZ · Bachelor's | $53,789 n=25 | — | $21,000 | 0.39× | Above +46% | — |
| 19 | University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNC · Bachelor's | $52,716 n=28 | 67% 1yr | $12,550 | 0.24× | Above +54% | — |
| 20 | University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeWI · Bachelor's | $52,659 n=25 | 74% 5yr | $24,525 | 0.47× | Above +35% | Below 1/2 |
| 21 | The Catholic University of AmericaDC · Bachelor's | $52,638 n=16 | — | $27,000 | 0.51× | Above +46% | — |
| 22 | University of North Carolina at CharlotteNC · Bachelor's | $52,012 n=33 | 82% 5yr | $22,500 | 0.43× | Above +52% | Clears 2/2 |
| 23 | Liberty UniversityVA · Associate | $51,737 n=68 | 100% | $26,834 | 0.52× | Above +36% | Clears 2/2 |
| 24 | California State University-NorthridgeCA · Bachelor's | $51,235 n=22 | — | $16,359 | 0.32× | Above +33% | — |
| 25 | Baylor UniversityTX · Bachelor's | $50,002 n=19 | 61% 5yr | $25,612 | 0.51× | Above +40% | Clears 2/2 |
| 26 | Beth Medrash GovohaNJ · Master's | $49,302 n=212 | 30% | — | — | Below -36% | Below 2/2 |
| 27 | Whitworth UniversityWA · Bachelor's | $48,483 n=20 | — | $23,875 | 0.49× | Above +14% | Below 1/2 |
| 28 | American Public University SystemWV · Bachelor's | $48,336 n=22 | — | $35,645 | 0.74× | Above +38% | Clears 2/2 |
| 29 | Liberty UniversityVA · Bachelor's | $47,991 n=741 | 70% | $31,332 | 0.65× | Above +26% | Clears 2/2 |
| 30 | Saint Leo UniversityFL · Bachelor's | $47,791 n=22 | — | $33,534 | 0.70× | Above +42% | — |
| 31 | California Baptist UniversityCA · Bachelor's | $47,121 n=25 | — | $24,474 | 0.52× | Above +23% | — |
| 32 | Nelson UniversityTX · Associate | $46,892 n=31 | 57% 1yr | $25,066 | 0.54× | Above +31% | — |
| 33 | Ohio Christian UniversityOH · Bachelor's | $46,350 n=88 | 52% | $30,625 | 0.66× | Above +26% | Clears 2/2 |
| 34 | Evangel UniversityMO · Bachelor's | $46,205 n=25 | 83% 5yr | $22,369 | 0.48× | Above +29% | Clears 2/2 |
| 35 | University of California-Santa BarbaraCA · Bachelor's | $43,377 n=24 | — | $16,500 | 0.38× | Above +13% | — |
| 36 | Carson-Newman UniversityTN · Bachelor's | $43,115 n=16 | — | $19,000 | 0.44× | Above +23% | — |
| 37 | University of MobileAL · Bachelor's | $42,196 n=24 | — | $25,000 | 0.59× | Above +22% | — |
| 38 | Ohio Christian UniversityOH · Associate | $41,567 n=44 | 75% | $24,750 | 0.59× | Above +13% | Clears 2/2 |
| 39 | Mississippi CollegeMS · Bachelor's | $40,506 n=20 | — | $19,500 | 0.48× | Above +23% | — |
| 40 | Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical SeminaryCA · Bachelor's | $38,872 n=29 | 53% 5yr | — | — | Above +1% | Below 1/2 |
| 41 | North Carolina Wesleyan UniversityNC · Bachelor's | $38,717 n=19 | — | $28,675 | 0.74× | Above +13% | — |
| 42 | St Olaf CollegeMN · Bachelor's | $37,335 n=26 | — | $25,000 | 0.67× | Below -7% | — |
| 43 | University of St ThomasMN · Bachelor's | $35,960 n=22 | 90% 5yr | $19,500 | 0.54× | Below -10% | Below 1/2 |
| 44 | Uta Mesivta of Kiryas JoelNY · Bachelor's | $29,579 n=299 | 73% | — | — | Below -22% | Below 2/2 |
| 45 | Beth Medrash GovohaNJ · Grad cert | $28,595 n=34 | 100% | $8,500 | 0.30× | Below -63% | Below 2/2 |
| 46 | Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim LubavitzNY · Bachelor's | $24,179 n=108 | — | — | — | Below -36% | Below 2/2 |
| 47 | Rabbinical College Bobover Yeshiva Bnei ZionNY · Bachelor's | $23,329 n=81 | — | — | — | Below -39% | — |
| 48 | Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical SeminaryNY · Professional | $22,440 n=16 | — | — | — | Below -68% | — |
| 49 | Mesivta Torah Vodaath Rabbinical SeminaryNY · Bachelor's | $21,332 n=35 | — | — | — | Below -44% | — |
| 50 | Yeshiva of Machzikai HadasNY · Bachelor's | $20,640 n=89 | 46% 1yr | — | — | Below -46% | Below 2/2 |
| 51 | Talmudical Seminary of BobovNY · Bachelor's | $20,163 n=106 | 18% | — | — | Below -47% | Below 2/2 |
| 52 | Yeshivath ViznitzNY · Bachelor's | $19,897 n=159 | 20% | — | — | Below -48% | Below 2/2 |
| 53 | Bet Medrash Gadol Ateret TorahNY · Bachelor's | $19,783 n=23 | — | — | — | Below -48% | Below 2/2 |
| 54 | Be'er Yaakov Talmudic SeminaryNY · Bachelor's | $19,093 n=90 | 23% 1yr | — | — | Below -50% | Below 2/2 |
| 55 | United Talmudical SeminaryNY · Bachelor's | $18,837 n=464 | 20% | — | — | Below -50% | Below 2/2 |
| 56 | Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef D'spinkaNY · Bachelor's | $17,806 n=22 | — | — | — | Below -53% | — |
% > threshold is ED's own share of graduates earning above the federal earnings threshold, taken from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window. Earnings premium compares median earnings four years out to the U.S. Census ACS median for a high-school graduate (undergraduate credentials) or bachelor's-degree holder (graduate credentials) in the institution's state. 2 of 3 yrs flags programs below that benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years — the statutory trigger under the 2025 federal earnings-premium test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative estimates; the Department of Education's official determination may differ. Figures lag the current year by 2–3 years.
| State | Median earn 4yr | Programs |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $54,169 | 4 |
| North Carolina | $52,364 | 4 |
| Virginia | $51,737 | 3 |
| California | $49,178 | 6 |
| Minnesota | $37,335 | 3 |
| New York | $21,332 | 15 |
States with at least 3 reporting Religion/Religious Studies programs, by median graduate earnings.
Which colleges have the highest-paying Religion/Religious Studies programs?
By median earnings four years after completion, the highest-paying Religion/Religious Studies programs in this dataset are Jewish Theological Seminary of America ($122,250), Yeshivas Be'er Yitzchok ($98,832), Emory University ($76,175). Earnings reflect College Scorecard field-of-study data (2024-25) and vary by credential level and location.
Are Religion/Religious Studies programs at risk under the federal earnings-premium test?
Indicatively, 19 of the 56 Religion/Religious Studies programs with both earnings and a state/national benchmark have median graduate earnings below the earnings-premium benchmark used by the 2025 federal test (effective July 1, 2026), under which a program can lose Title IV eligibility if its graduates earn less than a typical worker without the credential for 2 of 3 years. This estimate uses College Scorecard earnings vs U.S. Census ACS medians; the Department of Education's official determination uses its own cohort definition and may differ.
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Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard Field of Study, 2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts plus the most-recent snapshot (2024-25); threshold pass-rates pooled across all nine releases. Earnings-premium benchmarks from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS). Compiled by Ibex Insights. See the methodology.