2027 Best Value Philosophy Schools in New Jersey
[Philosophy](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/philosophy/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong philosophy education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for philosophy students.
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2027 Best Value Philosophy Schools in New Jersey
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the philosophy degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Philosophy Schools
For return on investment in philosophy, no school beat Princeton University this year. Set in the city of Princeton, Princeton University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $62,688 in tuition and fees. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $10,888 in student loans. Philosophy graduates of Princeton University earn a median of $67,532 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
Montclair State University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value philosophy schools. Montclair State University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Montclair. Students from in state pay about $15,912 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,022. Students borrow a median of $25,286 to complete the philosophy program here. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $44,369. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Montclair State University admits about 88% of applicants.
Rowan University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in philosophy, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Glassboro, Rowan University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $16,574, with out-of-state students paying around $26,932. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $24,488 in student loans. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $52,031. Set against $24,488 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
A rank of #4 makes Rutgers University New Brunswick one of the best values for philosophy. Located in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,929, with out-of-state students paying around $37,441. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the philosophy program here. Philosophy graduates of Rutgers University New Brunswick earn a median of $40,113 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 58%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
