These Are the College Degrees People End Up Regretting

Theology or religious vocations attracts students who feel called to ministry, spiritual leadership, teaching, missions, chaplaincy, or service inside a faith community. For them, the degree may not be mainly about money. It can feel like preparation for a meaningful life built around belief, guidance, and helping others.

The regret can appear when graduates need the degree to work outside religious settings. Median earnings in theology and religious vocation fields tend to be low, and the skills may not transfer cleanly into secular jobs without extra experience. If ministry work is unstable or poorly paid, the financial limits become hard to ignore.