Bible/Biblical Studies: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 39.02. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 545 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 73 | 260 | $34,942 | $46,192 | $19,791 1 programs |
| Associate's degree | 96 | 334 | $33,518 | $41,884 | $22,000 3 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 203 | 1,893 | $38,041 | $44,533 | $24,279 30 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 7 | 0 | Data unavailable | $55,827 | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 103 | 729 | $51,931 | $56,028 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 24 | 110 | Data unavailable | $76,812 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 38 | 192 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty University VA · Private, nonprofit · 46 graduates measured | $45,180 | $47,160 | $19,791 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson University TX · Private, nonprofit · 55 graduates measured | $34,733 | $45,704 | $22,000 |
| Lancaster Bible College PA · Private, nonprofit · 24 graduates measured | $33,964 | $29,886 | $20,126 |
| Colorado Christian University CO · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $33,815 | $45,122 | $38,936 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freed-Hardeman University TN · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $49,974 | $50,335 | $19,500 |
| Luther Rice College & Seminary GA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $49,896 | Data unavailable | $34,969 |
| Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary MO · Private, nonprofit · 40 graduates measured | $49,351 | $44,420 | $31,000 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion IN · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $47,135 | $53,497 | $37,750 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global IN · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $47,135 | $53,497 | $37,750 |
| University of Northwestern-St Paul MN · Private, nonprofit · 239 graduates measured | $47,114 | $51,761 | $25,819 |
| Lancaster Bible College PA · Private, nonprofit · 99 graduates measured | $45,734 | $44,718 | $27,500 |
| Regent University VA · Private, nonprofit · 39 graduates measured | $45,495 | $48,776 | $35,494 |
| Clarks Summit University · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $45,065 | $39,731 | $16,035 |
| Veritas Baptist College IN · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $44,723 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Harding University AR · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $44,505 | $48,762 | Data unavailable |
| Criswell College TX · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $42,578 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Multnomah University · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $41,287 | $46,617 | $22,764 |
| Belhaven University MS · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $40,989 | $48,516 | Data unavailable |
| Crown College MN · Private, nonprofit · 36 graduates measured | $40,236 | $46,800 | $22,272 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moody Bible Institute IL · Private, nonprofit · 52 graduates measured | $74,341 | $66,956 | Data unavailable |
| Biola University CA · Private, nonprofit · 31 graduates measured | $59,752 | $56,442 | Data unavailable |
| University of the Cumberlands KY · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $54,663 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Belhaven University MS · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $51,897 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Colorado Christian University CO · Private, nonprofit · 34 graduates measured | $51,514 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Denver Seminary CO · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $47,812 | $53,194 | Data unavailable |
| Liberty University VA · Private, nonprofit · 42 graduates measured | $47,630 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Cedarville University OH · Private, nonprofit · 26 graduates measured | $46,604 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Alliance University · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $45,834 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Asbury Theological Seminary KY · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $42,900 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Clarks Summit University · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $41,958 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Bible/Biblical Studies
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Directors, religious activities and education | $52,100 | +3.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary | $80,260 | +2.0% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (1)
- 39.0201 Bible/Biblical Studies