2026 Best Value Religious Education Doctoral Degree Schools
Looking for the best-value Religious Education doctoral degree programs in the United States? Our ranking highlights 130 institutions by value — the balance of cost and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. The rankings below weigh factors such as tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the strongest return on investment.
To arm you with the information you need, Course Advisor evaluated schools to produce this 2026 value ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 Best-Value Religious Education Doctoral Degree Schools in the United States
Learn more about these high-value schools below:
Leading the list is Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, our #1 best-value Religious Education school in the United States. Set in Kansas City, MO, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $11,530 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $15,559 to complete their Religious Education program here. Median earnings reach $50,535 ten years out. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%. More on Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Liberty University came in at #2 on this year's best-value Religious Education ranking in the United States. This private not-for-profit school is set in Lynchburg, VA. In-state tuition and fees average $16,173. Typical Religious Education student debt is $27,414. Median earnings reach $44,813 ten years out. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted. See the full Liberty University profile
Biola University came in at #3 on this year's best-value Religious Education ranking in the United States. This private not-for-profit school is set in La Mirada, CA. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $48,984. The median Religious Education program debt is $25,454. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $56,778. Set against $25,454 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 74%. Get the full Biola University report
Out of the 130 schools in the United States in this year's value ranking, Azusa Pacific University landed the #4 spot. Based in Azusa, CA, Azusa Pacific University is a private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $44,458. Graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $66,677. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. About 88% of those who apply are admitted. See the full Azusa Pacific University profile
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Trinity International University Illinois earned it the #5 place in the United States. Trinity International University Illinois is a private not-for-profit school based in Deerfield, IL. In-state tuition and fees average $12,320. Typical Religious Education student debt is $32,934. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $46,989. Set against $32,934 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Trinity International University Illinois admits about 100% of applicants. Read the full report on Trinity International University Illinois
Boston College landed the #6 spot for value in the United States this year. Located in Chestnut Hill, MA, Boston College is a private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $70,702. Typical Religious Education student debt is $18,101. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $103,937. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 16%. More on Boston College
Columbia Theological Seminary placed #7 among the best-value Religious Education schools in the United States. This private not-for-profit school is set in Decatur, GA. Read more about Columbia Theological Seminary
Catholic University Of America ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best-value Religious Education schools. Set in Washington, DC, Catholic University Of America is a private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $58,378 in tuition and fees. Catholic University Of America Religious Education students take on a median of $25,771 in debt. Median earnings reach $73,250 ten years out. That is a strong return on a $25,771 median debt. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted. More on Catholic University Of America
Andrews University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best-value Religious Education schools. Andrews University is a private not-for-profit school based in Berrien Springs, MI. In-state tuition and fees average $35,056. Andrews University Religious Education students take on a median of $26,314 in debt. Andrews University alumni report median earnings of $53,187 a decade after entry. Set against $26,314 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Andrews University admits about 82% of applicants. Read the full report on Andrews University
Southern Adventist University landed the #10 spot for value in the United States this year. See the full Southern Adventist University profile
Hebrew College
Hebrew College landed the #11 spot for value in the United States this year. Get the full Hebrew College report
Northwest Nazarene University placed #12 among the best-value Religious Education schools in the United States. Read the full report on Northwest Nazarene University
Mount Vernon Nazarene University came in at #13 in this year's value ranking. Read the full report on Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Talmudic College Of Florida landed the #14 spot for value in the United States this year. Get the full Talmudic College Of Florida report
Crown College
Crown College offered strong value this year, earning the #15 position. More on Crown College
Bethel University Minnesota offered strong value this year, earning the #16 position. More on Bethel University Minnesota
Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Metro ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best-value Religious Education schools. Read more about Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Metro
Benedictine College offered strong value this year, earning the #18 position. Read more about Benedictine College
West Virginia Wesleyan College landed the #19 spot for value in the United States this year. Get the full West Virginia Wesleyan College report
Campbellsville University placed #20 among the best-value Religious Education schools in the United States. Read more about Campbellsville University
Indiana Wesleyan University landed the #21 spot for value in the United States this year. See the full Indiana Wesleyan University profile
Brigham Young University Provo ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the best-value Religious Education schools. Read more about Brigham Young University Provo
Davis And Elkins College came in at #23 in this year's value ranking. Read more about Davis And Elkins College
Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best-value Religious Education schools. Read the full report on Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary
John Carroll University offered strong value this year, earning the #25 position. Get the full John Carroll University report
Rest of the Top 50 Best-Value Religious Education Doctoral Degree Schools in the United States
These schools also delivered strong value this year:
Muskingum University came in at #26 in this year's value ranking. Read the full report on Muskingum University
Franciscan University Of Steubenville ranked #27 on our 2026 list of the best-value Religious Education schools. Get the full Franciscan University Of Steubenville report
Southwest Baptist University ranked #28 on our 2026 list of the best-value Religious Education schools. More on Southwest Baptist University
Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global came in at #29 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global report
Amridge University ranked #30 on our 2026 list of the best-value Religious Education schools. Read the full report on Amridge University
Free Will Baptist Bible College came in at #31 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Free Will Baptist Bible College report
Taylor University placed #32 among the best-value Religious Education schools in the United States. See the full Taylor University profile
Unification Theological Seminary offered strong value this year, earning the #33 position. More on Unification Theological Seminary
Nazarene Theological Seminary offered strong value this year, earning the #34 position. Read more about Nazarene Theological Seminary
Concordia University Texas placed #35 among the best-value Religious Education schools in the United States. Read more about Concordia University Texas
Faith Theological Seminary And Christian College ranked #36 on our 2026 list of the best-value Religious Education schools. More on Faith Theological Seminary And Christian College
Moody Bible Institute came in at #37 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Moody Bible Institute report
Pontifical Catholic University Of Puerto Rico Ponce placed #38 among the best-value Religious Education schools in the United States. Read the full report on Pontifical Catholic University Of Puerto Rico Ponce
Grace Bible College offered strong value this year, earning the #39 position. Get the full Grace Bible College report
Central Christian College Of The Bible ranked #40 on our 2026 list of the best-value Religious Education schools. Read more about Central Christian College Of The Bible
Florida College
Florida College ranked #41 on our 2026 list of the best-value Religious Education schools. More on Florida College
Union Presbyterian Seminary came in at #42 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Union Presbyterian Seminary report
Eastern Nazarene College came in at #43 in this year's value ranking. More on Eastern Nazarene College
Wayland Baptist University came in at #44 in this year's value ranking. More on Wayland Baptist University
Boise Bible College landed the #45 spot for value in the United States this year. Read the full report on Boise Bible College
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary came in at #46 in this year's value ranking. See the full Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary profile
North Park University landed the #47 spot for value in the United States this year. More on North Park University
Bryan College Dayton offered strong value this year, earning the #48 position. Read more about Bryan College Dayton
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary landed the #49 spot for value in the United States this year. See the full The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary profile
Grace Mission University came in at #50 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Grace Mission University report
Related Religious Education Value Rankings
Compare value rankings at other degree levels:
- Best Value Religious Education Schools (All Levels)
- Best Value Religious Education Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value Religious Education Undergraduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value Religious Education Associate’s Degree Schools
- Best Value Religious Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools
- Best Value Religious Education Graduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value Religious Education Master’s Degree Schools
Ranking Methodology & Notes
The ranking above is published by Course Advisor (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. Rankings consider the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment — drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 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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