Religious Education: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 39.04. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 228 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 | 13 | 2 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Associate's degree | 15 | 21 | Data unavailable | $36,227 | Data unavailable |
| Bachelor's degree | 85 | 617 | $36,920 | $43,633 | $26,000 7 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | 0 | $52,347 | $58,256 | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 70 | 416 | $49,192 | $54,328 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 17 | 117 | $64,660 | $83,129 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 3 | 13 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 23 | 44 | 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.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concordia University-Nebraska NE · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $51,301 | $55,729 | Data unavailable |
| Trinity International University-Florida · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $44,735 | $46,286 | Data unavailable |
| Trinity International University-Illinois IL · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $44,735 | $46,286 | Data unavailable |
| Grand Canyon University AZ · Private, for-profit · 289 graduates measured | $41,227 | $45,165 | $36,032 |
| Dallas Baptist University TX · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $40,913 | $50,647 | Data unavailable |
| Franciscan University of Steubenville OH · Private, nonprofit · 24 graduates measured | $37,587 | $40,987 | $26,500 |
| University of the Cumberlands KY · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $37,510 | $39,211 | $22,336 |
| Moody Bible Institute IL · Private, nonprofit · 39 graduates measured | $34,169 | $36,770 | $26,000 |
| Biola University CA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $33,513 | $40,261 | 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.
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University NC · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $49,458 | $57,871 | 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.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Canyon University AZ · Private, for-profit · 146 graduates measured | $54,109 | $52,623 | Data unavailable |
| Crown College MN · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $47,541 | $51,900 | Data unavailable |
| Franciscan University of Steubenville OH · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $43,077 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Wheaton College IL · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $36,623 | 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.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty University VA · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $133,142 | 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 Religious Education
| 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.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (1)
- 39.0401 Religious Education