Best Colleges for Philosophy

Philosophy graduates earn an average of $29,494 annually, reflecting the field's focus on critical thinking skills that translate across many career paths rather than direct vocational training. When evaluating philosophy programs among the 121 schools offering this major, students should prioritize faculty expertise in their areas of interest, from ethics and political philosophy to logic and metaphysics. Look for programs with strong writing requirements, undergraduate research opportunities, and career counseling that helps connect philosophical training to law school, graduate studies, or careers in education, journalism, and public policy. Small class sizes and accessible professors enhance the Socratic learning environment essential to philosophical education.

Schools Ranked

$39,851

Avg. Program Earnings

80.7%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Median Earnings	Graduation Rate	School Type
1	University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	$61,516	96.8%	private-nonprofit
2	Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	$49,683	92.5%	private-nonprofit
3	San Diego State University San Diego, California	$46,456	78.3%	public
4	Fordham University Bronx, New York	$44,384	80.3%	private-nonprofit
5	Colgate University Hamilton, New York	$43,798	90.5%	private-nonprofit
6	College of the Holy Cross Worcester, Massachusetts	$42,682	89.6%	private-nonprofit
7	University of San Francisco San Francisco, California	$41,565	71.1%	private-nonprofit
8	Binghamton University Vestal, New York	$40,896	83.6%	public
9	Suffolk University Boston, Massachusetts	$38,829	59.8%	private-nonprofit
10	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, Arizona	$38,289	67.8%	public
11	Georgetown University Washington, District of Columbia	$38,289	94.3%	private-nonprofit
12	Illinois State University Normal, Illinois	$38,289	66.3%	public
13	Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina	$38,289	87.9%	public
14	Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee	$38,289	92.7%	private-nonprofit
15	Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, Arizona	$38,289		public
16	Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter, Minnesota	$37,568	75.9%	private-nonprofit
17	St. John's University-New York Queens, New York	$37,568	68.5%	private-nonprofit
18	Cornell University Ithaca, New York	$37,208	95.1%	private-nonprofit
19	The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas	$36,848	87.6%	public
20	University of North Texas Denton, Texas	$36,141	59.6%	public
21	St Olaf College Northfield, Minnesota	$35,416	83.5%	private-nonprofit
22	The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama	$33,993	73.7%	public
23	University of Chicago Chicago, Illinois	$33,993	94.9%	private-nonprofit
24	Texas State University San Marcos, Texas	$33,993	56.2%	public
25	William & Mary Williamsburg, Virginia	$33,993	91.0%	public