Bible Studies

Types of Degrees Bible Studies Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many bible/biblical studies graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	781
Graduate Certificate	252
Doctor’s Degree	97

What Bible Studies Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, bible studies majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Bible Studies Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these 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 Studies Majors

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

• 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 Studies Majors

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

• 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 Bible Studies Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with bible studies:

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 Bible Studies?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 59% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	24
Black or African American	127
Hispanic or Latino	79
White	421
International Students	17
Other Races/Ethnicities	113

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Bible Studies. About 2.2% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Bible Studies

Some degrees associated with bible studies 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 studies 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 Bible Studies Programs

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)	42	17
Certificate (2-4 Years)	6	3
Associate’s Degree	86	39
Bachelor’s Degree	35	19
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	91	42
Post-Master’s	6	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	16	4
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	3	1

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.