Biblical Studies

Types of Degrees Biblical Studies Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	2,456
Master’s Degree	844
Associate Degree	387
Graduate Certificate	135
Undergraduate Certificate	134
Basic Certificate	90
Doctor’s Degree	73

What Biblical Studies Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, Bible majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Bible Majors

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

• 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.
• 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.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Skills for Bible Majors

When studying Bible, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• 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.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.

Abilities for Bible Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a Bible student include the following:

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

What Can You Do With a Biblical Studies Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with Bible:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Directors, Religious Activities and Education	7.1%	$40,810
Philosophy and Religion Professors	12.3%	$71,890

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

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 2,453 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biblical studies in 2021, making it rank #125 in popularity. This major tends to be male dominated. About 63% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	71
Black or African American	251
Hispanic or Latino	163
White	1,745
International Students	32
Other Races/Ethnicities	194

Geographic Diversity

Bible appeals to people across the globe. About 1.3% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• South Korea
• Mexico
• Brazil
• Canada
• China

How Much Do Biblical Studies Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

According to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Bible have a median salary of $27,420 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $25,622 (25th percentile) and $30,688 (75th percentile).

We don’t know for sure if all of these people took jobs related to Bible so take that into consideration.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $46,980 to $82,420 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to Bible. 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.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Biblical Studies

Some degrees associated with Bible 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.

Find out what the typical degree level is for Bible careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	3.1%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	0.2%
Bachelor’s Degree	42.1%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	0.3%
Master’s Degree	11.5%
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.	0.3%
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.	0.2%
Doctoral Degree	35.6%
Post-Doctoral Training	6.0%

Online Biblical Studies Programs

In 2020-2021, 250 schools offered a Bible 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)	40	15
Certificate (2-4 Years)	6	3
Associate’s Degree	86	37
Bachelor’s Degree	29	16
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	89	39
Post-Master’s	6	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	16	3
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	2	0

Is a Degree in Biblical Studies Worth It?

The median salary for a Bible grad is $46,980 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 18% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $141,600 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Biblical Studies

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

Major	Number of Grads
Theological & Ministerial Studies	15,832
Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries	3,116
Religious Education	1,417
Missionary Studies	1,220
Theology & Religious Vocations (Other)	1,166
Sacred Music	554
Religious Institution Administration and Law	35

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.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.