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
Master’s Degree	844
Graduate Certificate	135
Doctor’s Degree	73

What Biblical Studies Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to Bible 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 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

Bible majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• 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

As a Bible major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• 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?

People with a Bible degree often go into the following careers:

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 Master’s Degree in Biblical Studies?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 69% 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	58
Black or African American	112
Hispanic or Latino	50
White	446
International Students	64
Other Races/Ethnicities	114

Geographic Diversity

Bible appeals to people across the globe. About 7.6% 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?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree in Biblical studies made a median starting salary of $40,644 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $38,029 (25th percentile) and $46,594 (75th percentile).

One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to Bible.

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. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

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 the 2020-2021 academic year, 250 schools offered some type of Biblical studies program. 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	12,534
Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries	1,624
Theology & Religious Vocations (Other)	777
Religious Education	687
Missionary Studies	423
Sacred Music	167
Religious Institution Administration and Law	23

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.