2027 Best Value Philosophy Schools in Virginia
[Philosophy](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/philosophy/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for philosophy students.
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2027 Best Value Philosophy Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in philosophy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Philosophy Schools
Leading the list is Old Dominion University, our #1 best value for philosophy in Virginia. Located in the city of Norfolk, Old Dominion University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,750, while out-of-state students pay about $33,780. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $26,001 in student loans. Philosophy graduates of Old Dominion University earn a median of $57,131 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
College Of William And Mary is a great value for students pursuing a degree in philosophy, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Williamsburg, College Of William And Mary is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $25,734, with out-of-state students paying around $51,038. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $16,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, philosophy degree recipients from College Of William And Mary generally make around $53,338. Set against $16,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. College Of William And Mary admits about 34% of applicants.
George Mason University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value philosophy schools. Set in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,220, compared with $38,688 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for philosophy graduates is $23,529. Philosophy graduates of George Mason University earn a median of $63,131 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,529 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Students looking for strong value in philosophy will find it at University Of Virginia Main Campus, which ranked #4. Located in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $23,118, compared with $61,591 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,509 to complete the philosophy program here. Philosophy graduates of University Of Virginia Main Campus earn a median of $69,126 early in their careers. Set against $15,509 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 17%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Christopher Newport University earned it the #5 place for philosophy. Christopher Newport University is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Newport News. Students from in state pay about $16,828 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $31,178. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $25,094 in student loans. Philosophy graduates of Christopher Newport University earn a median of $41,656 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Virginia Commonwealth University placed #6 among the best values for philosophy. Located in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,720, compared with $39,884 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the philosophy program here. Philosophy graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University earn a median of $26,192 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. Virginia Commonwealth University admits about 93% of applicants.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value philosophy schools. Set in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,948, while out-of-state students pay about $37,764. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $23,393 in student loans. Philosophy graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earn a median of $60,004 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 55%.
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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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
