Religious Studies Degree in Worcester, MA — Salary & ROI 2026
Religious Studies degree analysis for Worcester, MA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$59K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$64K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
8.4 yrs
in Worcester
Cost of Living
117
index (100 = avg)
Religious Studies in Worcester, MA Overview
Worcester, Massachusetts (pop. 206,518) has 11 colleges offering Religious Studies programs. The local cost of living index of 117 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,228/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 Worcester is approximately $58,500.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
11
Public Tuition
$16,670/yr
Private Tuition
$56,344/yr
Room & Board
$20,077/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,422/yr
Unemployment
5.2%
Graduation Rate
51%
Religious Studies Salary in Worcester (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Worcester's cost of living index of 117 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Religious Studies salary: $50,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Worcester adjustment factor: 1.17x based on the local cost of living index.
Religious Studies ROI Calculator for Worcester
Estimate your return on investment for a Religious Studies degree using local Worcester tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $16,670 | Private avg: $56,344
Worcester avg aid: $15,422/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$146,988
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,550
vs HS diploma in Worcester
ROI Payback Period
8.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Worcester
$28,512
Lifetime earnings premium ($175,500) minus total education cost ($146,988)
Student Loan Payoff for Religious Studies in Worcester
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Worcester for Religious Studies
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
private
$56,818/yr
$227,272 total
College of the Holy Cross
private
$55,870/yr
$223,480 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Quinsigamond Community College
$5,760/yr
Top Employers for Religious Studies in Worcester
Worcester offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Religious Studies graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Worcester Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Religious Studies Job Titles
Religious Studies in Nearby Massachusetts Cities
Boston, MA
$69K starting · COL 137
24 colleges
Springfield, MA
$67K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Cambridge, MA
$67K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Lowell, MA
$56K starting · COL 112.5
5 colleges
Brockton, MA
$54K starting · COL 108.5
5 colleges
Quincy, MA
$64K starting · COL 128.5
4 colleges
New Bedford, MA
$51K starting · COL 102.5
4 colleges
Lynn, MA
$59K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Worcester
Chinese Studies
$64K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$59K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$51K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$59K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$49K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$51K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$59K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$49K starting · 5 yr ROI
Religious Studies Degree in Worcester — 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 Worcester.