Religious Education at Franciscan University of Steubenville

Franciscan University's Religious Education program earns graduates $35,803 in their first year—higher than 82% of similar programs nationally but exactly at Ohio's median for religious education degrees. That's a meaningful signal: this program performs well nationally, but in Ohio specifically, it's middle-of-the-pack. The moderate debt load of $26,980 creates a manageable 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio, and graduates see modest earnings growth to $37,683 by year four.

The tradeoff here is straightforward. Religious education careers rarely generate high incomes, and this program delivers exactly what you'd expect: stable but modest earnings with reasonable debt. Graduates earn roughly $3,500 more than the national median for this field, which matters for loan repayment. The program serves students planning ministry or faith-based education careers, where financial returns aren't the primary motivation.

For families concerned about ROI, this isn't a lucrative path—graduates will earn less than $40,000 even four years out. But if your child is committed to religious education, Franciscan delivers respectable outcomes within this niche field. The debt is manageable enough that career satisfaction can reasonably outweigh earnings limitations. Just understand you're investing in a vocation, not a high-earning profession.