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Christian Studies

Types of Degrees Christian Studies Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Christian Studies have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	6
Associate’s Degree	96
Bachelor’s Degree	251
Master’s Degree	265

What Christian Studies Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Christian Studies develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Christian Studies graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Christian Studies emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Philosophy and Theology — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 6.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 6.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• History and Archeology — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Sociology and Anthropology — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Christian Studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Christian Studies careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Christian Studies graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Training and Teaching Others	4.8 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People	3.8 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Christian Studies professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
InteLext Past Masters	Data base user interface and query software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Desire2Learn LMS software	Computer based training software	—
Calendar and scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Philosopher’s Information Center The Philosopher’s Index	Data base user interface and query software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Christian Studies graduates include:

• College Faculty Member
• Ethics Professor
• Philosophy Specialist
• Western Philosophy Professor
• Philosophy Instructor
• Associate Professor
• Pastoral Ministries Professor
• Professor
• Metaphysics Teacher
• Adjunct Philosophy Professor
• Religion Professor
• Divinity Professor
• Adjunct Professor
• Instructor
• Biblical Studies Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Christian Studies graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	73.8%
Master’s degree	13.1%
Post-doctoral training	12.5%
Post-master’s certificate	0.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Christian Studies?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 42.7% women and 57.3% men among Christian Studies graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	264	42.7%
Men	354	57.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Christian Studies graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	393	63.6%
Asian	18	2.9%
Hispanic or Latino	56	9.1%
Black or African American	72	11.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	2	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	4	0.6%
Two or More Races	23	3.7%
Race Unknown	43	7.0%
International Students	7	1.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Christian Studies Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Christian Studies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$28,787
4 years	$35,631
5 years	$41,557

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $41,557 — roughly 44% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Christian Studies Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Christian Studies. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	10	5
Bachelor’s	12	14
Master’s	11	6
Doctoral (Research)	1	1

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Christian Studies Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Christian Studies graduates earn a median of $35,631 four years after completion — about 6% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Religion/Religious Studies	38.02
Buddhist Studies	38.0202
Catholic Studies	38.0208
Hindu Studies	38.0204
Islamic Studies	38.0205
Jewish/Judaic Studies	38.0206
Mormon Studies	38.0209
Religion/Religious Studies, Other	38.0299
Religion/Religious Studies	38.0201
Talmudic Studies	38.0207
Applied and Professional Ethics	38.0104
Ethics	38.0103

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.