Best Online Bachelor’s in Religious Studies Degree Programs for 2023

Published: Jul 7, 2021
Updated: Sep 8, 2023

Find top-ranked online bachelor’s in religious studies degree programs for students wanting to qualify for jobs including lecturer, media religion consultant, or missionary. Many students apply this degree to the pursuit of advanced degrees in areas such as philosophy, education, and psychology.

Top 10 Online Religious Studies Bachelor's Degrees

Florida International University
University of Central Florida
Western Michigan University
Hampton University
Liberty University
Andrews University
California State University, Chico
University of Nebraska Omaha
Missouri State University
Saint Leo University

Davis College 100%
Liberty University 99%
Missouri State University 94%
Chaminade University of Honolulu 90%
University of Nebraska Omaha 87%
California State University, Chico 85%
Southwestern Assemblies of God University 85%
University of Mount Olive 83%
Western Michigan University 83%
Albertus Magnus College 82%

University of Central Florida 31 to 1
Florida International University 25 to 1
California State University, Chico 25 to 1
Missouri State University 20 to 1
Amberton University 20 to 1
Western Michigan University 18 to 1
Southwestern Assemblies of God University 18 to 1
Liberty University 17 to 1
Saint Leo University 17 to 1
Vanguard University 16 to 1

Vanguard University $37,700
Mount Mercy University $36,540
Albertus Magnus College $36,442
King University $32,838
Andrews University $31,782
Kentucky Wesleyan College $29,660
Hampton University $29,312
Chaminade University of Honolulu $27,454
Saint Leo University $26,050
Southwestern Adventist University $23,508

Andrews University $28,656
Chaminade University of Honolulu $27,720
Southwestern Adventist University $22,848
Albertus Magnus College $21,744
University of Mount Olive $18,000
Western Michigan University $16,884
Saint Leo University $15,218
King University $14,207
Hampton University $13,099
Vanguard University $12,276

Central Christian College of the Bible
Bethesda University
Davis College
Southwestern Adventist University
Vanguard University
Athens State University
Mount Mercy University
Amberton University
Kentucky Wesleyan College
University of Mount Olive

University of Central Florida 36%
Paine College 52%
Southwestern Adventist University 58%
Florida International University 64%
King University 66%
Kentucky Wesleyan College 67%
Vanguard University 69%
Saint Leo University 71%
Hampton University 80%
Mount Mercy University 81%

Paine College 5 to 1
Davis College 6 to 1
Central Christian College of the Bible 8 to 1
Andrews University 10 to 1
Bethesda University 10 to 1
Chaminade University of Honolulu 10 to 1
King University 11 to 1
Southwestern Adventist University 11 to 1
Albertus Magnus College 14 to 1
Mount Mercy University 14 to 1

University of Central Florida $4,478
Florida International University $4,721
California State University, Chico $5,742
University of Nebraska Omaha $6,344
Bethesda University $6,560
Athens State University $6,750
Missouri State University $7,196
Amberton University $8,550
Central Christian College of the Bible $9,250
Western Michigan University $13,334

Central Christian College of the Bible $4,950
Missouri State University $5,760
University of Nebraska Omaha $6,138
Bethesda University $6,200
Amberton University $6,840
University of Central Florida $6,916
California State University, Chico $7,176
Southwestern Assemblies of God University $7,650
Athens State University $7,800
Liberty University $7,847

Key Takeaways

An online bachelor’s in religious studies provides a foundation in the history of religion and exhibits a variety of spiritual beliefs and values.
When you work in the field of religious studies, you understand religion in terms of culture, history, lifestyle, and belief based on different perspectives.
Earning an online bachelor’s degree in religious studies allows graduates to work in a wide variety of occupational and ministerial settings.

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Selecting Superior Online Bachelor’s in Religious Studies Programs

The online bachelor’s degree in religious studies is a very comprehensive program that examines major world religions, although most of the programs in the US focus on the Christian faith.

Often requiring only a high school diploma, official high school transcripts, and a strong desire to work in or around religious or missionary life for entry, this discipline develops a student’s critical thinking, textual analysis, cultural empathy, and persuasive writing via the general education and core coursework.

Most of the programs in this online degree end in a capstone course where each student will tie together all the things they have learned in class. In true liberal arts fashion, faculty members of religious studies’ departments seek to hone students into inquisitive graduates who can communicate the importance and traditions of many religious beliefs.

Most of the online degree programs in religious studies are delivered asynchronously, meaning, students will sign into a learning management system to view lectures and complete their tasks on their own time.

However, some schools inject synchronous elements into their online programs, via scheduled and regular live video conferences so students can interact with their professors and classmates.

Concentrations in an Online Religious Studies Program

Some schools allow their students to tailor their undergraduate degree studies with a concentration. Students take a common core of classes for their majors, then gear their electives in a specialty they prefer. Concentrations in the field of religious studies include:

Biblical Languages: These are usually offered in Christian colleges. You will learn about ancient Greek, ancient Hebrew, or Aramaic so that you can read the Old and New Testaments in their own language to apply in your interpretations.

Christian Ministry: If you are into church outreach projects, then this concentration path is for you. You will take courses such as administration, group psychology, evangelism, and Christian ethics from the standpoint of your chosen denomination.

Leadership: Just like the Christian ministry concentration, this specialization is perfect if you wish to work in administration or outreach. Note that this is not just about leading parochial organizations and Christian students. Leadership students will learn management skills and motivational psychology, both of which are very helpful when leading teams in businesses, schools, non-profits, and church organizations.

Philosophy: This concentration focuses on the interplay between rational philosophy and spirituality. You will read the works of various philosophers from Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian backgrounds to learn how these authors incorporated their religion into their philosophy. Students develop critical thinking skills with this concentration, which are important skills whether you pursue a secular or religious career.

Politics and Global Affairs: This is ideal for students who are interested in learning about the intersection between the levers of power and religion. It covers the relationship between social justice, nationalism, war, and North American law and the wider world.

Cost of an Online Bachelor’s in Religious Studies

On average, the median annual tuition fee for all online bachelor’s degrees is $13,919. Among the list of the most popular schools for a bachelor’s in religious studies, the median annual tuition rate is $24,413. This is slightly higher than the nationwide figure since most colleges that offer this degree are private, and as expected, they cost more than public schools.

Apart from the tuition, both on-campus and distance learning students pay fees that differ by institution.

And while all students must buy other school supplies and books, online learners will no longer have to worry about the pricey cost of room and board. Students, therefore, should find time to go over colleges, and if possible, talk to admissions officers about finding ways to limit the cost.

Public schools offer in-state tuition rates to enrollees in nearby states that have a reciprocity agreement.

Frequently Asked Questions About Religious Studies Degrees

No, not all religious studies programs are Christian faith-based programs. Most of the Bachelor’s in Religious Studies programs in our ranking below are from public universities that teach world religions as an academic study without teaching how one should practice their faith. A religiosu studies degrees explore the philosophies and literature of multiple faith traditions. In a separate section below, we rank Bachelor’s of Religion and Bachelor’s of Theology programs from Christian universities that are faith-based in their teaching.

Earning a bachelor’s degree in religious studies can provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the world’s major religions alongside the refinement of your critical-thinking skills. Most programs will explore the beliefs, history, and practices of the world’s major religions.

The 120-credit degree will typically include courses such as Asian Religions, Abrahamic Religions, Islam and Race, and Religious Literacy.

Whether online or on campus, most students will complete this degree in four to five years.

Graduates can qualify for a variety of jobs, including lecturer, media religion consultant, or missionary. Many students choose to apply undergraduate degree in religious studies to the pursuit of advanced degrees in areas such as philosophy, education, business, and psychology.

Learn more about how to major in religious studies.

How do we determine the best online religious studies bachelor's degree programs?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Ranking Process Behind Our Best Online Bachelor’s in Religious Studies List

In this list of the best online religious studies degree programs, aside from the obvious program criteria, several other critical factors were considered in the making of this listing.

For our purposes, the way the content is delivered, whether synchronous or asynchronous delivery, is not a factor. Although, the programs must be 100% online for convenience and flexibility. The featured programs also offer opportunities for students to customize their study plans through different concentrations like theology, Biblical studies, and languages.

Each online bachelor program also prepares students for a different array of personal growth and ministry options in Christian living. They should also provide a strong foundation of religious studies focused on spiritual and cultural traditions from across the globe, including Christian theology, religious traditions, humanities study, and philosophy.

The exceptional faculty of the Biblical and Theological Studies program is also considered; one that provides one-on-one instruction. The program should also have 24/7 student help center availability. It should also feature ease of transfer credits into a master’s program in the field.

Finally, proper regional accreditation is crucial in religious studies programs to ensure a quality education is provided to students. Regional accreditation is not only a requirement to apply for federal financial aid, but the religious studies graduate could more easily qualify for positions in social services, education, government, humanitarian relief, non-profit organizations, and more.

Median Salaries of Similar Careers in the U.S.

The following graph depicts the average salaries of similar occupations to Directors, Religious Activities and Education in the U.S.

Source: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Annual Salary

43290Religious Workers, All Other

47780Community Health Workers

50510Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other

52880Directors, Religious Activities and Education

57230Clergy

Best Online Bachelor’s in Religious Studies Degree Programs

Best Online Bachelor’s in Religion Degree Programs

Online Religious Studies Programs Looking for You

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

Best Online Bachelor’s in Religious Studies Degree Programs for 2023

Top 10 Online Religious Studies Bachelor's Degrees

Key Takeaways

Featured Programs

Selecting Superior Online Bachelor’s in Religious Studies Programs

Concentrations in an Online Religious Studies Program

Cost of an Online Bachelor’s in Religious Studies

Frequently Asked Questions About Religious Studies Degrees

Are all religious studies programs Christian?

Why get a bachelor’s in religious studies?

What topics do the courses cover?

How long does it take to get a bachelor’s in religious studies?

What can you do with a bachelor’s in religious studies?

Ranking Process Behind Our Best Online Bachelor’s in Religious Studies List

Median Salaries of Similar Careers in the U.S.

Best Online Bachelor’s in Religious Studies Degree Programs

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Online Religious Studies Programs Looking for You

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from an online college course?+

Is online college easier than campus-based college?+

Why does accreditation matter in online college?+

Will I be able to transfer my online college degree?+

Will employers respect my online degree?+

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Resources for Online College-Bound Students