Home › St Olaf College › Religious Studies

Religious Studies at St Olaf College

Northfield, MN · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Religion/Religious Studies

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $36,329/yr (36% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (51% exposed)

Job Market Small (3,100 openings/yr)

ROI 2.0x earnings multiple

Ranked #11 of 40 Religion/Religious Studies programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Religious Studies graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$453K	$458K	$437K
Earnings Multiple	2.0x	2.0x	1.9x
Probability of Field Employment	52%	45%	34%
DegreeOutlook Score	25	24	22

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)

$227,880

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$91,008

60% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$25,000

8.3 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $36,329 put St Olaf College's Religious Studies program 36% above the national median of $26,709 — one of the higher-earning programs in this field.

The financial case is thin at 2.0x — 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 Studies's typical career paths, with 51% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 4% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $25,000 represents roughly 8 months of the $36,329 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

At #11 of 40 Religious Studies programs, St Olaf College scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

About St Olaf College

A 52% admission rate makes St Olaf College accessible to a wide range of qualified students, with a smaller student body of 3,049 in Northfield, MN. Financial aid reduces the effective four-year cost to $91,008 — 60% less than the list price.

See all programs and financial aid at St Olaf College →

Top Career Paths

Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary $84,290/yr

Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary $78,050/yr

View all 2 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Religious Studies at Other Schools

Other Majors at St Olaf College

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Religious Studies at St Olaf College?

A score of 24/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Religious Studies. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Religious Studies careers?

With 51% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $437,134 in decade earnings vs $453,482 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Is St Olaf College a hidden gem for Religious Studies?

After financial aid, the average student pays $91,008 over four years — 60% below the $227,880 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →