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Religious Studies Major

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Religious Studies

6,012 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
1,185 Master's Degrees Annually
#71 in Popularity
$82,420 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Religious Studies Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many religious studies graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 6,034
Associate Degree 1,189
Master’s Degree 1,185
Basic Certificate 439
Graduate Certificate 372
Doctor’s Degree 212
Undergraduate Certificate 39

What Religious Studies Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to religion and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Religion Majors

Religion majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

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  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Philosophy and Theology - Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
  • History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
  • Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

Skills for Religion Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to religion:

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  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Religion Majors

As a religion major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

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  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

What Can You Do With a Religious Studies Major?

People with a religion degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Professors 10.4% $74,440
Philosophy and Religion Professors 12.3% $71,890

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Studies?

6,034 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
31% Percent Women
13% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 6,012 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in religious studies in 2021, making it rank #71 in popularity. This major attracts more men than women. About 69% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of religion majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 119
Black or African American 241
Hispanic or Latino 299
White 4,794
International Students 137
Other Races/Ethnicities 444

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Religion, too. About 2.3% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • Israel
  • South Korea
  • Canada
  • France
  • United Kingdom

How Much Do Religious Studies Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

The median early-career salary of religious studies students with a bachelor’s degree is $28,029 a year according to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $24,858 (25th percentile) and $32,014 (75th percentile).

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It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in religion, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $82,420 to $85,450 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to religion. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a Religious Studies Major  ( 82420 to 85450 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with religion may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to religion have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 0.1%
Master’s Degree 23.8%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. 2.2%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. 0.7%
Doctoral Degree 66.2%
Post-Doctoral Training 7.5%

Online Religious Studies Programs

In 2020-2021, 805 schools offered a religion program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 18 2
Certificate (2-4 Years) 1 0
Associate’s Degree 82 11
Bachelor’s Degree 40 9
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 205 34
Post-Master’s 9 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 67 2
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 1 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 2 0

Is a Degree in Religious Studies Worth It?

The median salary for a religion grad is $82,420 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 107% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $850,400 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to religion.

Major Number of Grads
Philosophy 10,054
Other Philosophy & Religious Studies 285
General Philosophy & Religious Studies 184

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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