Best colleges for Religion/Religious Studies in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of California-Santa Barbara, Vanguard University of Southern California and Santa Clara University award the most Religion/Religious Studies degrees in California: 22, 20 and 19 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 47 California colleges offer Religion/Religious Studies and award 274 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Religion/Religious Studies program explores the multifaceted nature of religion from historical and scientific perspectives. This field examines various religious traditions, their beliefs, practices, and cultural impacts, making it…
Top 3 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public · Bachelor's degree | $19,911 | 22 | 83% | — | $15,873 |
| 2 | California Baptist University Riverside Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $29,582 | 16 | 62% | $26,940 | $24,474 |
| 3 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $23,219 | 8 | 57% | — | $13,483 |
Rabbinical and Talmudic seminaries in California
Talmudic studies programs, ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Listed apart from religious studies programs at colleges and universities.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical Seminary Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $15,652 | 15 | 12% | $14,043 | — |
Colleges awarding the most Religion/Religious Studies degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, rabbinical and Talmudic seminaries (listed separately above), and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public | 22 | $19,911 |
| 2 | Vanguard University of Southern California Costa Mesa Private not-for-profit | 20 | Not reported |
| 3 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara Private not-for-profit | 19 | Not reported |
| 4 | California Baptist University Riverside Private not-for-profit | 16 | $29,582 |
| 5 | California State University - Chico Chico Public | 13 | Not reported |
| 6 | Westmont College Santa Barbara Private not-for-profit | 11 | Not reported |
| 7 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public | 10 | Not reported |
| 8 | Grossmont College El Cajon Public | 9 | Not reported |
| 9 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public | 8 | $23,219 |
| 10 | Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego Private not-for-profit | 8 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 37 California colleges offering Religion/Religious Studies
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical Seminary (Seminary) | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Berkeley School of Theology (Graduate only) | Berkeley | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Claremont Graduate University (Graduate only) | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Stanford University | Stanford | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| University of California-Davis | Davis | Public | 5 |
| California State Polytechnic University - Humboldt | Arcata | Public | 5 |
| The Master's University and Seminary | Santa Clarita | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Mount Saint Mary's University | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| San Diego State University | San Diego | Public | 5 |
| California State University - Fullerton | Fullerton | Public | 4 |
| California State University - Long Beach | Long Beach | Public | 4 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | Public | 4 |
| University of California-San Diego | La Jolla | Public | 4 |
| Pepperdine University | Malibu | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Victor Valley College | Victorville | Public | 4 |
| Institute of Buddhist Studies (Graduate only) | Berkeley | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Haven University | Garden Grove | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Crafton Hills College | Yucaipa | Public | 3 |
| La Sierra University | Riverside | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Loma Linda University | Loma Linda | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Scripps College | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Claremont School of Theology (Graduate only) | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| California State University - Bakersfield | Bakersfield | Public | 2 |
| University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley | Public | 2 |
| University of California-Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | Public | 2 |
| Chapman University | Orange | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Fullerton College | Fullerton | Public | 1 |
| Occidental College | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa | Public | 1 |
| Pitzer College | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Pomona College | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| University of Redlands | Redlands | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco | Public | 1 |
| Saint Mary's College of California | Moraga | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Academy for Jewish Religion California (Online) | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1126).
Top skills
What Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Religion/Religious Studies programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Religion/Religious Studies degrees?+
University of California-Santa Barbara (22 graduates a year), Vanguard University of Southern California (20 graduates a year) and Santa Clara University (19 graduates a year) award the most Religion/Religious Studies degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 47 California colleges offer Religion/Religious Studies.
Which Religion/Religious Studies program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of California-Santa Barbara tops the list at $19,911. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary in California is $125,540 (median $105,820), across about 1,850 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Religion/Religious Studies program?+
The Religion/Religious Studies program explores the multifaceted nature of religion from historical and scientific perspectives. This field examines various religious traditions, their beliefs, practices, and cultural impacts, making it…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, writing, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary?+
The national job outlook is about +0.7% growth with around 2,000 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card