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2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major

159 Ranked Colleges
702 Degrees Awarded
$34,200 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Philosophy Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 9,487 people earned their degree in philosophy, making the major the 86th most popular in the United States.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 702 philosophy graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major” ranking, we looked at 159 colleges that offer a degree in philosophy. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in philosophy.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major” list to help you make the college decision.

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Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree philosophy students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Philosophy

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Philosophy at The Domincan School Berkeley

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Holy Apostles College and Seminary. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major. Holy Apostles College and Seminary is a small school located in Cromwell, Connecticut that handed out 35 masters’s philosophy degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad 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 more about Philosophy at Holy Apostles College and Seminary

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary - Overbrook. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary - Overbrook is located in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 masters’s philosophy degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary - Overbrook Philosophy Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend St Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. This small school is located in Rochester, New York, and it awarded 1 masters’s philosophy degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Philosophy at St Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry

5
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University of Dallas
Irving, Texas

Out of the 159 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Dallas landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Irving, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified masters’s philosophy students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%.

Full UD Philosophy Report

6

Franciscan University of Steubenville landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. Franciscan U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Steubenville, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 Franciscan University of Steubenville

7
The Graduate Center crest
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

The Graduate Center, CUNY came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. The Graduate Center is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 31 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Philosophy at The Graduate Center, CUNY

8
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Catholic University of America
Washington, District of Columbia

Catholic University of America landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. Washington, District of Columbia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s philosophy degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Catholic University of America Philosophy Report

9
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Biola University
La Mirada, California

Biola University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking, coming in at #9. Biola University is a medium-sized school located in La Mirada, California that handed out 10 masters’s philosophy degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Philosophy at Biola University

10
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The New School
New York, New York

The New School came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. New York, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s philosophy degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Philosophy at The New School

11

Houston Baptist University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. HBU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 5 masters’s philosophy degrees in 2020-2021.

Full HBU Philosophy Report

12
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking, coming in at #12. This fairly large school is located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and it awarded 22 masters’s philosophy degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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
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Mount St Mary's University
Emmitsburg, Maryland

Mount St Mary’s University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking, coming in at #13. Emmitsburg, Maryland is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s philosophy degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at Mount St Mary’s University

14
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Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Duquesne University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s philosophy degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Duquesne University Philosophy Report

15
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

With a ranking of #15, Princeton University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. Princeton, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s philosophy degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at Princeton

16
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Brandeis University
Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. Brandeis University is a medium-sized school located in Waltham, Massachusetts that handed out 6 masters’s philosophy degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Brandeis Philosophy Report

17
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Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia State University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. Georgia State is a public institution located in Atlanta, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 20 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Philosophy at Georgia State University

18

Northern Illinois University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. NIU is located in Dekalb, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 masters’s philosophy degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Philosophy at NIU

19
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San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #19, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. This large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 19 masters’s philosophy degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 San Francisco State University

20
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Villanova University
Villanova, Pennsylvania

Villanova University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 9 degrees to qualified masters’s philosophy students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national 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 full report on Philosophy at Villanova

21
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

Rice University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. Houston, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s philosophy degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate 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.

Read more about Philosophy at Rice

22
UMSL crest
University of Missouri - St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. University of Missouri - St Louis is a public institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 6 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Missouri - St Louis Philosophy Report

23
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Gonzaga University
Spokane, Washington

Gonzaga University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking, coming in at #23. Gonzaga is a private not-for-profit institution located in Spokane, Washington. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Gonzaga Philosophy Report

24
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Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. Loyola Marymount is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University

25
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified masters’s philosophy students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 86%.

Full Stanford University Philosophy Report

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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