Religion/Religious Studies at Missouri State University-Springfield

With fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort, these numbers are more suggestive than definitive, but they tell a story worth heeding. Missouri State's Religion program produces first-year earnings of $22,133—about $3,300 below the national median and trailing even Missouri's state median by nearly $2,000. The debt load of $26,349 means graduates start with obligations exceeding their first year's salary, a particularly challenging position for a field where earnings don't typically surge later in careers. Even Evangel University, a small religious institution in the same state, sees graduates earning $3,500 more right out of the gate.

The concerning part isn't just the modest starting salary—many humanities majors face similar realities—it's that this program underperforms both state and national benchmarks while still saddling students with above-average debt for Missouri. At 91% admission, Missouri State isn't positioned as a selective institution that might justify lower earnings through other opportunities or connections. For families considering this path, the question becomes whether religious studies specifically (versus a related field like education or social work with clearer career trajectories) justifies both the debt burden and the opportunity cost. If your child is drawn to ministry or religious work, exploring programs with stronger placement records or lower debt loads—or considering this as a minor alongside a more marketable major—would be worth serious discussion.