Religious Studies

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
Master’s Degree	1,185
Graduate Certificate	372
Doctor’s Degree	212

What Religious Studies Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to religion were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Religion Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• 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

A major in religion prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• 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

Religion majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• 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?

Below is a list of occupations associated with religion:

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 Master’s Degree in Religious Studies?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 68% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	43
Black or African American	111
Hispanic or Latino	80
White	840
International Students	50
Other Races/Ethnicities	61

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Religion, too. About 4.2% 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?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The median starting salary of students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree in religion was $46,468 per year. These stats come from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $46,468 (25th percentile) and $49,269 (75th percentile).

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 the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

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 Religious Studies

Some degrees associated with religion may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

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.

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!

Majors Related to Religious Studies

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

Major	Number of Grads
Philosophy	1,220
Other Philosophy & Religious Studies	106
General Philosophy & Religious Studies	41

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
• Image Credit: By Sowlos under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.