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Theology · Religious Education Rank #12 of 13

Religious Educationat Biola University

Graduates earn $30,887/yr in their first year — about 10.0% below the national Religious Education average. Base-case 10-year earnings $472K; scenarios range from $447K to $469K depending on AI disruption.

La Mirada, CA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
15 AT RISK
16
Optimistic
16
Pessimistic
Earnings
$30,887
1-year post-graduation
ROI
1.2x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$472K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
55% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Biola University

Your journey in Religious Education from Biola will immerse you in a strong, faith-based academic environment, preparing you primarily for roles within churches, parachurch organizations, and Christian K-12 schools. The earnings you see reflect the typical compensation structure for these mission-driven positions, where salaries often prioritize impact over top-tier income, especially compared to more secular fields. While Southern California offers numerous opportunities within its large religious community, many roles are entry or mid-level ministry positions. The "high AI risk" might surprise you, but it often pertains to the administrative, content creation, and curriculum design aspects of religious education that AI tools are increasingly capable of assisting with, rather than the interpersonal, spiritual guidance inherent in the work. To maximize your prospects, actively seek internships within various church or non-profit settings to build practical skills and a professional network.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$447K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score16/100
Earnings Multiple2.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$472K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score15/100
Earnings Multiple2.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$469K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score16/100
Earnings Multiple2.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Biola University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Religious Education graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
+0.7% 10-yr growth · 2,000 openings/yr
$78,050/yr
High
2
Directors, religious activities and education
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 13,800 openings/yr
$54,840/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Religious Education

How Biola University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Concordia University-Nebraska
NE · Private nonprofit
32
DW Score
$55K
1-yr earn
1.6x
ROI
Grand Canyon University
AZ · Private for-profit
28
DW Score
$37K
1-yr earn
5.0x
ROI
Franciscan University of Steubenville
OH · Private nonprofit
22
DW Score
$36K
1-yr earn
2.2x
ROI
Benedictine College
KS · Private nonprofit
25
DW Score
$35K
1-yr earn
1.5x
ROI
Grace Christian University
MI · Private nonprofit
27
DW Score
$33K
1-yr earn
4.6x
ROI
Also at Biola University

Other top programs at Biola University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Biola University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Religious Education at Biola University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Religious Education at Biola University?

A score of 15/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Religious Education. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Religious Education careers?

With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $447,447 in decade earnings vs $469,149 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.