Best Christian Colleges & Universities 2025
The United States of America was born on the boats of faithful Protestants as they braved a daunting trans-Atlantic journey toward freedom and the great unknown.
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America's Founding Fathers believed that as "one nation, under God," this country would ultimately find success.
Christian values are embedded within the country's defining documents and scattered throughout our history textbooks.
Top U.S. universities like Harvard started as faith-based but are now mostly secular. A few, like Notre Dame and Brigham Young University, keep their Christian roots.
Faith-Based Benefits: These schools offer religion courses, church services, and a supportive community, helping students grow spiritually and academically.
Comfort: Attending a college that shares your values provides comfort and encourages you to live out your beliefs.
Opportunities: Includes study-abroad, service learning, and faith-focused activities.
Top Programs: Christian schools have highly ranked programs and often require religion courses.
Perfect for students wanting to strengthen their faith while studying!
Online Programs That Might Interest You
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.We have provided a simple, reliable, and honest ranking of the best Christian colleges.
In our analysis of the best Christian colleges, we looked at several factors and ranked our list of schools accordingly.
- Affordability (average net price)
- Student Satisfaction (retention rate)
- Academic Quality (4-year graduation rate)
- Median Earnings (the median earnings of former students who received federal financial aid at 6 years after entering the school)
Each data point is ranked with equal weight. Schools received a weighted overall ranking score for each individual point mentioned above–100 being the highest score possible.
In the case of tie scoring, the average net price was the determining factor for which school received the higher rank–the lower the net price, the higher the ranking.
All data was gathered from College Scorecard and school websites.
Best Christian Colleges & Universities for 2025
Azusa Pacific University
Location: Azusa, CA
Admission Rate: 87%
Average SAT Score: 1132
Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,344
Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $54,157
In-state Tuition and Fees: $42,330
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $42,330
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $23,219
Median Earnings (10 years): $66,677
Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion
Location: Marion, IN
Admission Rate: 87%
Average SAT Score: 1120
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,097
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $41,692
In-state Tuition and Fees: $29,684
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $29,684
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $24,250
Median Earnings (10 years): $59,986
Baylor University
Location: Waco, TX
Admission Rate: 46%
Average SAT Score: 1347
Undergraduate Enrollment: 15,134
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Average Cost of Attendance: $68,535
In-state Tuition and Fees: $51,738
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $51,738
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $23,000
Median Earnings (10 years): $65,793
College of the Ozarks
Location: Point Lookout, MO
Admission Rate: 21%
Average SAT Score: 1124
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,481
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $31,353
In-state Tuition and Fees: $20,290
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $20,290
Median Total Debt After Graduation: Data unavailable
Median Earnings (10 years): $41,592
Harding University
Location: Searcy, AR
Admission Rate: 45%
Average SAT Score: 1182
Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,198
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $34,168
In-state Tuition and Fees: $23,148
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $23,148
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $26,500
Median Earnings (10 years): $52,876
Baker University
Location: Baldwin City, KS
Admission Rate: 92%
Average SAT Score: 1050
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,115
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $47,258
In-state Tuition and Fees: $32,320
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $32,320
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $25,000
Median Earnings (10 years): $63,855
Biola University
Location: La Mirada, CA
Admission Rate: 57%
Average SAT Score: 1250
Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,474
Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $57,785
In-state Tuition and Fees: $44,382
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $44,382
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $23,875
Median Earnings (10 years): $56,778
Northwest University
Location: Kirkland, WA
Admission Rate: 94%
Average SAT Score: 1198
Undergraduate Enrollment: 662
Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Average Cost of Attendance: $45,835
In-state Tuition and Fees: $35,000
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $35,000
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $20,891
Median Earnings (10 years): $54,914
Anderson University
Location: Anderson, SC
Admission Rate: 45%
Average SAT Score: Data unavailable
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,960
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Average Cost of Attendance: $45,980
In-state Tuition and Fees: $31,720
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $31,720
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $26,700
Median Earnings (10 years): $42,101
California Baptist University
Location: Riverside, CA
Admission Rate: 80%
Average SAT Score: Data unavailable
Undergraduate Enrollment: 8,077
Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $49,531
In-state Tuition and Fees: $38,058
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $38,058
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $26,063
Median Earnings (10 years): $61,504
Concordia University-Saint Paul
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Admission Rate: 69%
Average SAT Score: 1190
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,760
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $33,714
In-state Tuition and Fees: $24,400
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $24,400
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $17,832
Median Earnings (10 years): $59,871
Mississippi College
Location: Clinton, MS
Admission Rate: 40%
Average SAT Score: 1190
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,098
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Average Cost of Attendance: $37,689
In-state Tuition and Fees: $21,098
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $21,098
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $22,500
Median Earnings (10 years): $47,485
LeTourneau University
Location: Longview, TX
Admission Rate: 49%
Average SAT Score: 1239
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,553
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Average Cost of Attendance: $47,233
In-state Tuition and Fees: $34,470
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $34,470
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $26,000
Median Earnings (10 years): $57,103
Anderson University
Location: Anderson, IN
Admission Rate: 52%
Average SAT Score: 1090
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,111
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $48,027
In-state Tuition and Fees: $34,080
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $34,080
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $27,000
Median Earnings (10 years): $48,899
Columbia College
Location: Columbia, SC
Admission Rate: 98%
Average SAT Score: 972
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,136
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Average Cost of Attendance: $34,974
In-state Tuition and Fees: $22,050
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $22,050
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $22,750
Median Earnings (10 years): $41,338
Oral Roberts University
Location: Tulsa, OK
Admission Rate: 78%
Average SAT Score: 1112
Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,250
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $46,011
In-state Tuition and Fees: $32,640
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $32,640
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $27,000
Median Earnings (10 years): $46,885
Colorado Christian University
Location: Lakewood, CO
Admission Rate: Data unavailable
Average SAT Score: Data unavailable
Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,399
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $48,130
In-state Tuition and Fees: $37,432
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $37,432
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $28,312
Median Earnings (10 years): $50,416
Belhaven University
Location: Jackson, MS
Admission Rate: 43%
Average SAT Score: 1059
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,414
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Average Cost of Attendance: $36,866
In-state Tuition and Fees: $28,375
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $28,375
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $26,333
Median Earnings (10 years): $46,440
Dallas Baptist University
Location: Dallas, TX
Admission Rate: 91%
Average SAT Score: 1095
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,674
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Average Cost of Attendance: $46,367
In-state Tuition and Fees: $35,310
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $35,310
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $21,591
Median Earnings (10 years): $56,807
Liberty University
Location: Lynchburg, VA
Admission Rate: 99%
Average SAT Score: Data unavailable
Undergraduate Enrollment: 48,408
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Average Cost of Attendance: $41,963
In-state Tuition and Fees: $22,511
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $22,511
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $24,500
Median Earnings (10 years): $44,813
Crown College
Location: Saint Bonifacius, MN
Admission Rate: 67%
Average SAT Score: Data unavailable
Undergraduate Enrollment: 757
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $43,264
In-state Tuition and Fees: $29,230
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $29,230
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $22,500
Median Earnings (10 years): $48,057
Columbia College
Location: Columbia, MO
Admission Rate: Data unavailable
Average SAT Score: Data unavailable
Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,486
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $36,284
In-state Tuition and Fees: $24,326
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $24,326
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $23,879
Median Earnings (10 years): $45,378
Hope International University
Location: Fullerton, CA
Admission Rate: 32%
Average SAT Score: Data unavailable
Undergraduate Enrollment: 590
Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Average Cost of Attendance: $49,503
In-state Tuition and Fees: $35,700
Out-of-state Tuition and Fees: $35,700
Median Total Debt After Graduation: $23,000
Median Earnings (10 years): $49,697
Further Reading: Best Christian Colleges in Florida
Features of Faith-Based Higher Education
Christian colleges offer a unique educational experience. Students usually follow a structured program with a focus on biblical teachings. The curriculum often blends Christian values with academic subjects.
These schools may have stricter rules than other institutions. For example:
- No alcohol or drug use allowed
- Required chapel attendance
All Christian colleges are private. This means they don't get government funding. Instead, they rely on:
• Tuition fees • Donations
The campus culture tends to be more traditional. Students typically share similar beliefs and values. This creates a close-knit community feel.
Classes may explore topics through a Christian lens. This approach differs from secular schools, where various viewpoints are often discussed.
Many Christian colleges aim to shape both academic and spiritual growth. They may offer:
- Bible study groups
- Faith-based volunteer programs
- Christian-centered social events
These elements create a distinct college experience for students seeking education rooted in their faith.
Choosing the Right Christian College
Selecting a Christian college involves more than just religious considerations. Many factors play a role in finding the best fit. Sports programs, campus location, and class sizes are key elements to weigh.
Christian colleges offer diverse experiences while sharing a foundation of faith and values. Campus sizes and opportunities vary widely among these schools. Each institution provides a unique setting for personal growth and skill development.
The search for the ideal college takes time and reflection. Students should look for a place where they feel at ease, accepted, and motivated. For some, Christian colleges meet these needs perfectly.
Here are some factors to consider when choosing a Christian college:
- Academic programs
- Campus culture
- Extracurricular activities
- Career preparation
- Financial aid options
Remember, the goal is to find a college that aligns with your personal, academic, and spiritual goals. Take time to visit campuses, talk to current students, and explore program offerings. This research will help ensure you make the best choice for your future.
Popular Programs That Might Interest You
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
