Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

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

168 Ranked Colleges
8,207 Degrees Awarded
$6,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 10,015 people earned their degree in philosophy, making the major the 81st most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, philosophy graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,067 and had an average of $22,199 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,207 philosophy graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 168 colleges that offered a degree in philosophy. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent philosophy programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the philosophy program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it 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

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. UPenn is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 158 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k list, UPenn has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UPenn is $4,833 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The impressive 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.

Read full report on Philosophy at University of Pennsylvania

#2

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 168 schools in the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 23 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

Duke also made our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $-1,314 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Duke. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.

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. 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Philosophy at Duke

#3

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k list, Northwestern has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $3,995 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive 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 Northwestern University Philosophy Report

#4

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k 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. It costs about $2,800 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Chicago.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.

Read full report on Philosophy at University of Chicago

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia University in the City of New York. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Columbia University in the City of New York is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 62 bachelors’s philosophy degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Columbia, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Columbia is $4,287 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%.

Read full report on Philosophy at Columbia

#6

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina
#5 in overall quality

Wake Forest University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wake Forest University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wake Forest University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $5,981 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wake Forest University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Philosophy at Wake Forest University

#7

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

With a ranking of #7, Cornell University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 22 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

Cornell also took the #7 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cornell is $7,518 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 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%.

Read full report on Philosophy at Cornell University

#8

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire

Dartmouth College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Dartmouth College is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Hanover, New Hampshire. It awarded 15 bachelors’s philosophy 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 yearly cost to attend Dartmouth College is $4,830 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

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. 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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. Vanderbilt University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s philosophy degrees to qualified students.

Vanderbilt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt University is $6,017 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 96%. 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 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Vanderbilt Philosophy Report

#10

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Florida is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 50 bachelors’s philosophy degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for UF 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at University of Florida

#10

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan

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. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 36 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k list, U-M has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $5,887 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Philosophy at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#12

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s philosophy degrees to 78 students in 2019-2020.

Boston College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $8,951 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Boston College.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Boston College Philosophy Report

#13

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

UNC Chapel Hill not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $6,063 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on Philosophy at UNC Chapel Hill

University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UW - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 54 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also claimed a top spot 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 estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - 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

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. This small school is located in Hamilton, New York, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

Colgate also took the #13 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,958 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Colgate.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Full Colgate University Philosophy Report

#16

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Williamsburg, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s philosophy degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

William & Mary also took the #19 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,963 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend William & Mary.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 more about Philosophy at William & Mary

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. UW Seattle is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 60 bachelors’s philosophy degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $7,467 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 93%. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%.

Read more about Philosophy at UW Seattle

#18

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

With a ranking of #18, University of Notre Dame did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Notre Dame is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Notre Dame, Indiana. It awarded 30 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $15,609 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Notre Dame.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, 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 97%.

Full Notre Dame Philosophy Report

#19

Hunter College

New York, New York

Hunter College landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s philosophy degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Hunter is $2,394 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Hunter College Philosophy Report

#20

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Emory is a private not-for-profit institution located in Atlanta, Georgia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Emory also took the #17 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for 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. 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%. 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 full report on Philosophy at Emory

#21

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Medford, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 17 degrees to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Tufts also did well on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $6,516 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

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. 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%.

Read full report on Philosophy at Tufts University

#22

Lehman College

Bronx, New York

Lehman College landed the #22 spot on the 2022 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.

Full Lehman Philosophy Report

John Jay College of Criminal Justice did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. Located in New York, New York, this fairly large public school handed out 16 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for John Jay College of Criminal Justice is $3,108 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full John Jay College of Criminal Justice Philosophy Report

#24

Trinity College

Hartford, Connecticut

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

On top of its placing in this ranking, Trinity Bantams also did well 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. It costs about $9,123 for bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Trinity College.

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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Trinity Bantams Philosophy Report

#25

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 127 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA also took the #22 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $9,254 for Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCLA.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Philosophy at University of California - Los Angeles

Rest of the Best 26 in Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 26 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

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