2026 Best Religious Education Associate’s Degree Schools
Looking for the best Religious Education associate’s degree programs in the United States? This list ranks 130 institutions by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. Our scores reflect factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and admissions selectivity.
To help you make your decision, Course Advisor evaluated schools to compile this 2026 ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 Religious Education Associate’s Degree Schools in the United States
Here are the top-ranked schools:
Crown College earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking in the United States. This private not-for-profit school is set in Saint Bonifacius, MN. About 44% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $31,410. The median Religious Education program debt is $25,937. Get the full Crown College report
The strong Religious Education programs at Shaw University earned it the #2 place in the United States. More on Shaw University
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary came in at #3 on this year's Religious Education ranking in the United States. Get the full Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary report
Out of the 130 schools in the United States in this year's ranking, Andrews University landed the #4 spot. Read more about Andrews University
Boise Bible College came in at #5 on this year's Religious Education ranking in the United States. More on Boise Bible College
West Virginia Wesleyan College landed the #6 spot in the United States this year. Read the full report on West Virginia Wesleyan College
Allegheny Wesleyan College did well this year, earning the #7 position. Read the full report on Allegheny Wesleyan College
Carolina Christian College came in at #8 in this year's ranking. See the full Carolina Christian College profile
Bethel University Minnesota landed the #9 spot in the United States this year. More on Bethel University Minnesota
Moody Bible Institute came in at #10 in this year's ranking. More on Moody Bible Institute
Benedictine College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best Religious Education schools. More on Benedictine College
Regent University landed the #12 spot in the United States this year. More on Regent University
Dallas Theological Seminary landed the #13 spot in the United States this year. More on Dallas Theological Seminary
Marian University Indiana came in at #14 in this year's ranking. Read more about Marian University Indiana
Wayland Baptist University came in at #15 in this year's ranking. Read more about Wayland Baptist University
Presbyterian College placed #16 among Religious Education schools in the United States. Read more about Presbyterian College
Mount Vernon Nazarene University did well this year, earning the #17 position. Get the full Mount Vernon Nazarene University report
Princeton Theological Seminary came in at #18 in this year's ranking. See the full Princeton Theological Seminary profile
Azusa Pacific University came in at #19 in this year's ranking. Read more about Azusa Pacific University
Central Christian College Of The Bible landed the #20 spot in the United States this year. Get the full Central Christian College Of The Bible report
Loyola University Chicago placed #21 among Religious Education schools in the United States. Get the full Loyola University Chicago report
Concordia University Ann Arbor came in at #22 in this year's ranking. Get the full Concordia University Ann Arbor report
Wesley Theological Seminary placed #23 among Religious Education schools in the United States. Read more about Wesley Theological Seminary
Southern Adventist University placed #24 among Religious Education schools in the United States. Read the full report on Southern Adventist University
Asbury Theological Seminary came in at #25 in this year's ranking. Read more about Asbury Theological Seminary
Rest of the Top 50 Best Religious Education Associate’s Degree Schools in the United States
These schools also placed among the very best this year:
Calvin Theological Seminary ranked #26 on our 2026 list of the best Religious Education schools. See the full Calvin Theological Seminary profile
Cornerstone University did well this year, earning the #27 position. Read the full report on Cornerstone University
College Of Saint Elizabeth ranked #28 on our 2026 list of the best Religious Education schools. Read more about College Of Saint Elizabeth
Fordham University placed #29 among Religious Education schools in the United States. More on Fordham University
Asbury University did well this year, earning the #30 position. More on Asbury University
Bryan College Dayton ranked #31 on our 2026 list of the best Religious Education schools. More on Bryan College Dayton
Biola University
Biola University ranked #32 on our 2026 list of the best Religious Education schools. More on Biola University
Catholic University Of America ranked #33 on our 2026 list of the best Religious Education schools. More on Catholic University Of America
Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global ranked #34 on our 2026 list of the best Religious Education schools. Read the full report on Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global
Erskine College And Seminary landed the #35 spot in the United States this year. See the full Erskine College And Seminary profile
Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary landed the #36 spot in the United States this year. Read more about Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary
University Of The Cumberlands placed #37 among Religious Education schools in the United States. Get the full University Of The Cumberlands report
Rabbinical College Bobover Yeshiva Bnei Zion placed #38 among Religious Education schools in the United States. See the full Rabbinical College Bobover Yeshiva Bnei Zion profile
Hebrew College
Hebrew College landed the #39 spot in the United States this year. Read the full report on Hebrew College
Virginia Baptist College did well this year, earning the #40 position. Read the full report on Virginia Baptist College
Universidad Pentecostal Mizpa came in at #41 in this year's ranking. Read the full report on Universidad Pentecostal Mizpa
Olivet Nazarene University placed #42 among Religious Education schools in the United States. More on Olivet Nazarene University
University Of Dallas did well this year, earning the #43 position. More on University Of Dallas
Free Will Baptist Bible College came in at #44 in this year's ranking. Get the full Free Will Baptist Bible College report
College Of Our Lady Of The Elms placed #45 among Religious Education schools in the United States. Get the full College Of Our Lady Of The Elms report
John Carroll University came in at #46 in this year's ranking. Read the full report on John Carroll University
Trinity International University Illinois landed the #47 spot in the United States this year. More on Trinity International University Illinois
Messiah College
Messiah College placed #48 among Religious Education schools in the United States. More on Messiah College
Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef Dspinka did well this year, earning the #49 position. More on Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef Dspinka
Campbellsville University did well this year, earning the #50 position. Read the full report on Campbellsville University
Related Religious Education Rankings
Explore other degree levels:
- Best Religious Education Schools (All Levels)
- Best Religious Education Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Religious Education Undergraduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Religious Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools
- Best Religious Education Graduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Religious Education Master’s Degree Schools
- Best Religious Education Doctoral Degree Schools
Ranking Methodology & Notes
These rankings are produced by Course Advisor (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and admissions data drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: Dms College Quality · Scope: Nation. *Averages shown above reflect the top 130 ranked schools only.
References
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (core institutional data).
- College Scorecard — U.S. Department of Education (graduate earnings and outcomes data).
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