Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Philosophy

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Philosophy (Income $30-$48k)

166 Ranked Colleges
7,882 Degrees Awarded
$6,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

Philosophy is the 82nd most popular major in the country with 9,456 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 7,882 philosophy graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 166 colleges that offer a degree in philosophy. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality philosophy programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the philosophy program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Philosophy (Income $30-$48k)

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 26 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

UPenn also made our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $4,833 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UPenn.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Full UPenn Philosophy Report

#2

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Duke is located in Durham, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s philosophy degrees to qualified students.

Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Duke is $-1,314 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at Duke University

#3

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

Out of the 166 schools in the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #9 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $3,995 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read more about Philosophy at Northwestern University

#4

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 166 schools in the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 70 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also took the #4 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $2,800 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Full University of Chicago Philosophy Report

#8 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Columbia University in the City of New York is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 62 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia also took the #8 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,287 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Columbia.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Philosophy at Columbia University in the City of New York

#6

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina
#5 in overall quality

Wake Forest University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 35 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

Wake Forest University also made our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for Wake Forest University is $5,981 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at Wake Forest University

#7

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#7 in overall quality

Cornell University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 22 degrees to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

Cornell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Cornell is $7,518 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Philosophy at Cornell

#8

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Dartmouth College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Dartmouth is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hanover, New Hampshire. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Dartmouth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Dartmouth College is $4,830 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full Dartmouth Philosophy Report

#9

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#12 in overall quality

Vanderbilt University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 23 degrees to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vanderbilt, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt is $6,017 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Philosophy at Vanderbilt

#10

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Florida came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 50 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $4,069 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Philosophy at University of Florida

#10

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#11 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s philosophy degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.

U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $5,887 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Philosophy at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#12

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
#6 in overall quality

Boston College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and it awarded 78 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Boston College, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Boston College is $8,951 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Philosophy at Boston College

#13

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
#18 in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UNC Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 68 bachelors’s philosophy degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Chapel Hill, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $6,063 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Philosophy at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Top 20% in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s philosophy degrees to 54 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW - Madison is also in the top of our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $6,860 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Philosophy Report

#15

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York
#13 in overall quality

Colgate University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Hamilton, New York, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 26 degrees to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

Colgate also made our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $8,958 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Colgate.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Philosophy at Colgate University

#16

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
#19 in overall quality

William & Mary landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at William & Mary, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $4,963 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at William & Mary

Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 58 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,467 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

#18

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#14 in overall quality

University of Notre Dame ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Notre Dame, Indiana, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame also took the #14 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Notre Dame is $15,609 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Notre Dame Philosophy Report

#19

Hunter College

New York, New York

Hunter College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Hunter is a large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 27 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Hunter College is $2,394 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Philosophy at Hunter College

#20

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, Emory University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 44 degrees to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

Emory did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Emory is $9,629 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at Emory

#21

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
Top 20% in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Tufts University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Tufts is located in Medford, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s philosophy degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Tufts is also in the top of our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts University is $6,516 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Philosophy at Tufts University

#22

Lehman College

Bronx, New York

Lehman College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Bronx, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s philosophy degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,289 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lehman College.

Read more about Philosophy at Lehman

John Jay College of Criminal Justice landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a fairly large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 16 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,108 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend John Jay.

Read full report on Philosophy at John Jay

#24

Trinity College

Hartford, Connecticut
Top 20% in overall quality

Trinity College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Trinity Bantams is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hartford, Connecticut. It awarded 11 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Trinity Bantams is in the top on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Trinity Bantams is $9,123 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Philosophy at Trinity Bantams

#25

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#22 in overall quality

University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 127 degrees to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $9,254 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCLA.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Philosophy at University of California - Los Angeles

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Featured Philosophy and Religious Studies Schools

Find Schools Near You