Best colleges for Religion/Religious Studies in New York
Ranked by graduate earnings
Yeshiva University, Elyon College and Jewish Theological Seminary of America award the most Religion/Religious Studies degrees and certificates in New York: 589, 69 and 55 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 88 New York colleges offer Religion/Religious Studies and award 3,633 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 2 institutions, 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 | Jewish Theological Seminary of America New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $56,236 | 55 | 90% | $27,383 | $16,750 |
| 2 | Fordham University Bronx Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $30,985 | 4 | 82% | $38,931 | $26,320 |
Rabbinical and Talmudic seminaries in New York
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 Shaarei Torah of Rockland Suffern Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,861 | 51 | — | $15,444 | — |
| 2 | Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel Monroe Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $22,543 | 480 | 70% | $6,856 | — |
| 3 | Machzikei Hadath Rabbinical College Brooklyn Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $18,546 | 17 | 33% | $8,894 | — |
| 4 | United Talmudical Seminary Brooklyn Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $17,779 | 356 | 58% | $8,271 | — |
| 5 | Talmudical Seminary of Bobov Brooklyn Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $17,618 | 97 | 39% | $1,813 | — |
| 6 | Mesivta Torah Vodaath Rabbinical Seminary Brooklyn Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $15,903 | 70 | 50% | $5,636 | — |
| 7 | Yeshivath Viznitz Monsey Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $13,078 | 128 | 69% | $7,882 | — |
| 8 | Be'er Yaakov Talmudic Seminary Spring Valley Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $11,674 | 87 | 59% | $7,974 | — |
| 9 | Rabbinical College Bobover Yeshiva Bnei Zion Brooklyn Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $10,153 | 100 | 83% | $10,528 | — |
| 10 | Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitz Brooklyn Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $9,428 | 218 | 5% | $20,451 | — |
Colleges awarding the most Religion/Religious Studies degrees in New York
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). 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 | Yeshiva University New York Private not-for-profit | 589 | Not reported |
| 2 | Elyon College Brooklyn Private not-for-profit | 69 | Not reported |
| 3 | Jewish Theological Seminary of America New York Private not-for-profit | 55 | $56,236 |
| 4 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit | 35 | Not reported |
| 5 | Touro University New York Private not-for-profit | 16 | Not reported |
| 6 | Elim Bible College Lima Private not-for-profit | 16 | Not reported |
| 7 | Colgate University Hamilton Private not-for-profit | 7 | Not reported |
| 8 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit | 7 | Not reported |
| 9 | CUNY Hunter College New York Public | 6 | Not reported |
| 10 | Skidmore College Saratoga Springs Private not-for-profit | 6 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 78 New York colleges offering Religion/Religious Studies
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel (Seminary) | Monroe | Private not-for-profit | 480 |
| United Talmudical Seminary (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 356 |
| Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitz (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 218 |
| Yeshivath Viznitz (Seminary) | Monsey | Private not-for-profit | 128 |
| Rabbinical College Bobover Yeshiva Bnei Zion (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 100 |
| Talmudical Seminary of Bobov (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 97 |
| Sh'or Yoshuv Rabbinical College (Seminary) | Lawrence | Private not-for-profit | 94 |
| Be'er Yaakov Talmudic Seminary (Seminary) | Spring Valley | Private not-for-profit | 87 |
| Beth Medrash Meor Yitzchok (Seminary) | Monsey | Private not-for-profit | 78 |
| Yeshivath Zichron Moshe (Seminary) | South Fallsburg | Private not-for-profit | 71 |
| Mesivta Torah Vodaath Rabbinical Seminary (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 70 |
| Yeshiva Kollel Tifereth Elizer (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 70 |
| Yeshivat Hechal Shemuel (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 62 |
| Yeshiva Shaarei Torah of Rockland (Seminary) | Suffern | Private not-for-profit | 51 |
| Eisek Hatorah DRachmistrivka (Seminary) | Staten Island | Private not-for-profit | 50 |
| Yeshivas Novominsk (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 41 |
| Talmudical Seminary Oholei Torah (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 40 |
| Yeshiva of Nitra Rabbinical College (Seminary) | Chester | Private not-for-profit | 38 |
| Rabbinical College of Long Island (Seminary) | Long Beach | Private not-for-profit | 34 |
| Yeshiva Derech Chaim (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 33 |
| Beth Hamedrash Shaarei Yosher Institute (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 32 |
| Mirrer Yeshiva Cent Institute (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 29 |
| Yeshiva Yesoda Hatorah Vetz Chaim (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 26 |
| Rabbinical Academy Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 24 |
| Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid (Seminary) | Far Rockaway | Private not-for-profit | 24 |
| Bet Medrash Gadol Ateret Torah (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 24 |
| Mechon L'hoyroa (Seminary) | Monsey | Private not-for-profit | 24 |
| Yeshiva Zichron Aryeh (Seminary) | Far Rockaway | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| Yeshiva of Ocean (Seminary) | Greenfield Park | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| Yeshiva Karlin Stolin (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary (Seminary) | Ossining | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| Yeshiva Sholom Shachna (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| Congregation YMH (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| Yeshiva of the Telshe Alumni (Seminary) | Riverdale | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| Ohr Hameir Theological Seminary (Seminary) | Peekskill | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| Yeshiva D'monsey Rabbinical College (Seminary) | Monsey | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| Machzikei Hadath Rabbinical College (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Torah Temimah Talmudical Seminary (Seminary) | Staten Island | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Yeshiva Shaar Ephraim (Seminary) | Monsey | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| Yeshiva Ohr Naftoli (Seminary) | New Windsor | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| Yeshiva Gedola Amidei Dgirsa (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (Graduate only) | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Rabbinical College Ohr Yisroel (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Yeshiva of Kasho (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Bais Binyomin Academy (Seminary) | Monsey | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Rabbinical College Beth Shraga (Seminary) | Monsey | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Yeshiva Gedolah Kesser Torah (Seminary) | Monsey | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Yeshivas Sanz Klauzenburg (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Academy for Jewish Religion (Graduate only) | Yonkers | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion (Graduate only) | New York | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Central Yeshiva Beth Joseph (Seminary) | Airmont | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Congregation Talmidei Mesivta Tiferes Shmiel Aleksander (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Mesivta of Eastern Parkway-Yeshiva Zichron Meilech (Seminary) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Yeshivath Shaar Hatorah (Seminary) | Kew Gardens | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Fordham University | Bronx | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Binghamton University | Vestal | Public | 4 |
| Mercaz Hatorah of Belle Harbor (Seminary) | Belle Harbor | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Bais Medrash of Dexter Park (Seminary) | Chestnut Ridge | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Barnard College | New York | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Ithaca College | Ithaca | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem of America (Seminary) | New York | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Vassar College | Poughkeepsie | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| CUNY Brooklyn College | Brooklyn | Public | 2 |
| Hamilton College | Clinton | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Nazareth University | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| New York University | New York | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Bais Medrash Elyon (Seminary) | Monsey | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Cornell University | Ithaca | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| CUNY Medgar Evers College | Brooklyn | Public | 1 |
| Daemen University | Amherst | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Yeshiva of Far Rockaway Derech Ayson Rabbinical Seminary (Seminary) | Far Rockaway | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Hartwick College | Oneonta | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges | Geneva | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Hofstra University | Hempstead | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Manhattan University | Riverdale | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| University of Rochester | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Talmudical Institute of Upstate New York (Seminary) | Rochester | 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 New York
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Religion/Religious Studies programs in New York.
Which New York colleges award the most Religion/Religious Studies degrees?+
Yeshiva University (589 graduates a year), Elyon College (69 graduates a year) and Jewish Theological Seminary of America (55 graduates a year) award the most Religion/Religious Studies degrees and certificates in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 88 New York colleges offer Religion/Religious Studies.
Which Religion/Religious Studies program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Jewish Theological Seminary of America tops the list at $56,236. 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 New York?+
The average annual wage for Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary in New York is $104,040 (median $92,050), across about 1,700 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.
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