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Biblical Studies

Instructional content is defined in code 39.0201.

Types of Degrees Biblical Studies Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Biblical Studies can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	146
Associate’s Degree	335
Bachelor’s Degree	1,910
Master’s Degree	1,097
Doctor’s Degree	110

What Biblical Studies Majors Need to Know

Programs in Biblical Studies build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Biblical Studies graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Biblical Studies emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Philosophy and Theology — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• History and Archeology — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Biblical Studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Biblical Studies careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Biblical Studies graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Training and Teaching Others	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Working with Computers	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Biblical Studies professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Moodle	Computer based training software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	✓
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Biblical Studies graduates include:

• Ethics Professor
• Divinity Professor
• Associate Professor
• Adjunct Professor
• Philosophy Faculty Member
• Jewish Educator
• Eastern Philosophy Professor
• Religious Educator
• Philosophy Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Church Music Professor
• Philosophy Specialist
• Religious Studies Teacher
• Philosophy Adjunct Instructor

What Can You Do With a Biblical Studies Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Biblical Studies commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Directors, Religious Activities and Education	-2.3%	$64,599	$53,067–$76,131

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Biblical Studies graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	59.3%
Master’s degree	12.3%
Bachelor’s degree	10.6%
Post-doctoral training	10.0%
Postsecondary certificate	4.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.8%
Post-master’s certificate	0.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.1%
Some college courses	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Biblical Studies?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 40.7% women and 59.3% men among Biblical Studies graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,466	40.7%
Men	2,137	59.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Biblical Studies graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	2,331	64.7%
Asian	109	3.0%
Hispanic or Latino	234	6.5%
Black or African American	436	12.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	29	0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	4	0.1%
Two or More Races	89	2.5%
Race Unknown	286	7.9%
International Students	85	2.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Biblical Studies Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Biblical Studies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$35,101
4 years	$36,432
5 years	$41,952

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $41,952 — roughly 20% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Biblical Studies Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Biblical Studies. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	48	12
Bachelor’s	52	35
Master’s	49	15
Doctoral (Research)	4	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Biblical Studies Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Biblical Studies graduates earn a median of $36,432 four years after completion — about 4% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Theology and Religious Vocations	26,216
Theological and Ministerial Studies	15,135
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries	3,230
Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology	1,249
Theology and Religious Vocations, Other	1,235
Religious Education	1,230
Religious Music and Worship	477
Religious Institution Administration and Law	57
THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS VOCATIONS	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.