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Best Schools for Philosophy

Philosophy graduates earn a median of $29,504 within two years of graduation, ranking #231 out of 292 tracked majors — 17% below the median across all fields. There are 120 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 1,663 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: University of Pennsylvania graduates earn $61,516 while University of Houston-Downtown graduates earn $16,478 — a $45,038 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is modest: Philosophy graduates see an average -1% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

120
Schools
$29,504
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#231
of 292 Majors
1,663
Graduates

Public vs Private: Philosophy

Public (84 schools)
$28,408
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (36 schools)
$32,064
avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $3,656 more in early earnings on average for Philosophy graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

Philosophy by State

California
16 schools
$29,933
New York
13 schools
$31,134
Massachusetts
9 schools
$30,949
Texas
7 schools
$30,545
Illinois
6 schools
$30,129
Pennsylvania
5 schools
$38,254
Ohio
5 schools
$26,594
Wisconsin
5 schools
$25,953

Top Philosophy Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
U

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA · Private

$61,516
2yr Earnings
1yr: $61,331
Grads: 90
Acceptance: 5.9%
#2
C

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA · Private

$49,683
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 11.4%
#3
S

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA · Public

$46,456
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 34.4%
#4
F

Fordham University

Bronx, NY · Private

$44,384
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,324
Grads: 33
Acceptance: 56.3%
#5
C

Colgate University

Hamilton, NY · Private

$43,798
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 11.9%
#6
C

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, MA · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,095
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 21.1%
#7
U

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA · Private

$41,565
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 50.8%
#8
B

Binghamton University

Vestal, NY · Public

$40,896
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 37.7%
#9
S

Suffolk University

Boston, MA · Private

$38,829
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 84.7%
#10
A

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,802
Grads: 53
Acceptance: 90.2%
#11
G

Georgetown University

Washington, DC · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 13.1%
#12
I

Illinois State University

Normal, IL · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 89.0%
#13
C

Clemson University

Clemson, SC · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 38.0%
#14
V

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,978
Grads: 21
Acceptance: 6.3%
#15
A

Arizona State University Digital Immersion

Scottsdale, AZ · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,802
Grads: 53
Acceptance: 64.1%
#16
G

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, MN · Private

$37,568
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 61.8%
#17
S

St. John's University-New York

Queens, NY · Private

$37,568
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 79.7%
#18
C

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY · Private

$37,208
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 8.2%
#19
T

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX · Public

$36,848
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,184
Grads: 46
Acceptance: 29.1%
#20
U

University of North Texas

Denton, TX · Public

$36,141
2yr Earnings
1yr: $25,877
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 72.5%
#21
S

St Olaf College

Northfield, MN · Private

$35,416
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 52.1%
#22
T

The University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, AL · Public

$33,993
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 75.8%
#23
U

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private

$33,993
2yr Earnings
1yr: $28,698
Grads: 30
Acceptance: 4.8%
#24
T

Texas State University

San Marcos, TX · Public

$33,993
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 89.5%
#25
W

William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA · Public

$33,993
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 32.7%
#26
U

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA · Public

$33,993
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 16.9%
#27
V

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA · Public

$33,990
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 57.0%
#28
U

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA · Public

$33,664
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,290
Grads: 71
Acceptance: 42.5%
#29
U

University of Washington-Bothell Campus

Bothell, WA · Public

$33,664
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,290
Grads: 71
Acceptance: 91.8%
#30
C

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA · Public

$33,446
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,583
Grads: 24
Acceptance: 93.2%
#31
U

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD · Public

$33,281
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 44.8%
#32
B

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA · Private

$33,281
2yr Earnings
1yr: $51,737
Grads: 58
Acceptance: 15.7%
#33
K

Kent State University at Kent

Kent, OH · Public

$33,176
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 86.7%
#34
E

Emory University

Atlanta, GA · Private

$32,925
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,513
Grads: 36
Acceptance: 11.1%
#35
U

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI · Public

$32,563
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 17.9%
#36
I

Indiana University-Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN · Public

$32,029
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 81.4%
#37
N

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Private

$31,839
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 7.1%
#38
U

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public

$31,314
2yr Earnings
1yr: $25,487
Grads: 57
Acceptance: 27.8%
#39
S

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, NY · Public

$31,305
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 49.0%
#40
S

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

$31,133
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,537
Grads: 40
Acceptance: 96.2%
#41
O

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH · Public

$31,133
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,105
Grads: 26
Acceptance: 50.8%
#42
T

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Edinburg, TX · Public

$30,988
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 84.8%
#43
C

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA · Public

$30,771
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 93.7%
#44
U

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Amherst, MA · Public

$30,409
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,509
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 57.8%
#45
C

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public

$30,228
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 47.1%
#46
U

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL · Public

$30,228
2yr Earnings
1yr: $25,985
Grads: 40
Acceptance: 24.0%
#47
C

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA · Public

$29,685
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,024
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 96.4%
#48
M

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO · Public

$29,685
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 99.1%
#49
T

The Catholic University of America

Washington, DC · Private

$29,685
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 83.8%
#50
F

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL · Public

$29,685
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 25.4%

Showing top 50 of 120 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Neurobiology and Neurosciences $29,706 Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies, Other $29,665 Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services $29,596 Marine Sciences $29,568 Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other $29,505 Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies $29,452

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Philosophy?
University of Pennsylvania ranks #1 for Philosophy with median graduate earnings of $61,516 within two years. There are 120 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Philosophy graduates earn?
Philosophy graduates earn an average of $29,504 within two years of graduation. This is 17% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $16,478 to $61,516 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Philosophy program?
The average acceptance rate across Philosophy programs is 59.8%. The most selective program is at Columbia University in the City of New York with a 4.2% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Philosophy?
Private Philosophy programs average $32,064 in early earnings vs $28,408 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

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