Religious Studies Degree in Bloomington, IN — Salary & ROI 2026
Religious Studies degree analysis for Bloomington, IN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$42K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$46K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.6 yrs
in Bloomington
Cost of Living
83
index (100 = avg)
Religious Studies in Bloomington, IN Overview
While Bloomington has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Religious Studies students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $12,831/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Although national enrollment in Religious Studies has been declining, graduates with skills in Textual Analysis and Cross-Cultural Understanding remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Bloomington is approximately $41,500.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$10,948/yr
Private Tuition
$35,439/yr
Room & Board
$12,831/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,996/yr
Unemployment
5.2%
Graduation Rate
64%
Religious Studies Salary in Bloomington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Bloomington's cost of living index of 83 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Religious Studies salary: $50,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Bloomington adjustment factor: 0.83x based on the local cost of living index.
Religious Studies ROI Calculator for Bloomington
Estimate your return on investment for a Religious Studies degree using local Bloomington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,948 | Private avg: $35,439
Bloomington avg aid: $13,996/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,116
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,450
vs HS diploma in Bloomington
ROI Payback Period
7.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Bloomington
$29,384
Lifetime earnings premium ($124,500) minus total education cost ($95,116)
Student Loan Payoff for Religious Studies in Bloomington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Bloomington for Religious Studies
Indiana University Bloomington
public
$10,948/yr
$43,792 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington
$4,540/yr
Top Employers for Religious Studies in Bloomington
Bloomington offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Religious Studies graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Bloomington Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Religious Studies Job Titles
Religious Studies in Nearby Indiana Cities
Indianapolis, IN
$47K starting · COL 94
25 colleges
Fort Wayne, IN
$52K starting · COL 103
24 colleges
Evansville, IN
$43K starting · COL 86
10 colleges
South Bend, IN
$45K starting · COL 89
9 colleges
Carmel, IN
$53K starting · COL 105.2
4 colleges
Fishers, IN
$50K starting · COL 100.5
4 colleges
Hammond, IN
$47K starting · COL 93.1
4 colleges
Lafayette, IN
$42K starting · COL 84.8
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Bloomington
Chinese Studies
$46K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$42K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$37K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$42K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$35K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$37K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$42K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$35K starting · 5 yr ROI
Religious Studies Degree in Bloomington — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Religious Studies ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Bloomington.