Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $28,885/yr fall 16% below the $34,414 national median for Religious Education. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
The financial case is thin at 2.9x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.
Some AI exposure exists in Religious Education's typical career paths, with 48% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 5% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $26,000 represents roughly 11 months of the $28,885 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #13 of 13 Religious Education programs, Messiah University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Earnings grow from $28,885 to $41,655 over five years — a 44% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.