Religious Studies Degree in Las Cruces, NM — Salary & ROI 2026
Religious Studies degree analysis for Las Cruces, NM. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$62K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$68K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.8 yrs
in Las Cruces
Cost of Living
123
index (100 = avg)
Religious Studies in Las Cruces, NM Overview
Las Cruces, New Mexico (pop. 111,385) has 12 colleges offering Religious Studies programs. The local cost of living index of 123 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,443/month. 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 Las Cruces is approximately $61,500.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$7,554/yr
Private Tuition
$45,711/yr
Room & Board
$19,302/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,870/yr
Unemployment
6.7%
Graduation Rate
60%
Religious Studies Salary in Las Cruces (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Las Cruces's cost of living index of 123 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Religious Studies salary: $50,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Las Cruces adjustment factor: 1.23x based on the local cost of living index.
Religious Studies ROI Calculator for Las Cruces
Estimate your return on investment for a Religious Studies degree using local Las Cruces tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,554 | Private avg: $45,711
Las Cruces avg aid: $11,870/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$107,424
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,450
vs HS diploma in Las Cruces
ROI Payback Period
5.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Las Cruces
$77,076
Lifetime earnings premium ($184,500) minus total education cost ($107,424)
Student Loan Payoff for Religious Studies in Las Cruces
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Las Cruces for Religious Studies
New Mexico State University
public
$7,554/yr
$30,216 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Dona Ana Community College
$1,848/yr
Top Employers for Religious Studies in Las Cruces
Las Cruces offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Religious Studies graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Las Cruces Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Religious Studies Job Titles
Religious Studies in Nearby New Mexico Cities
Other Humanities Majors in Las Cruces
Chinese Studies
$68K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$62K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$54K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$62K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$52K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$54K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$62K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$52K starting · 5 yr ROI
Religious Studies Degree in Las Cruces — 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 Las Cruces.