2027 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools in Pennsylvania
[Philosophy & Religious Studies](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong philosophy & religious studies education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value philosophy & religious studies schools.
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2027 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools in Pennsylvania
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the philosophy & religious studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools
For return on investment in philosophy & religious studies, no school beat Swarthmore College this year. Swarthmore College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Swarthmore. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,494. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from Swarthmore College generally make around $66,971. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 8%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Pennsylvania earned it the #2 place for philosophy & religious studies. University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. Students from in state pay about $68,686 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $18,500 to complete the philosophy & religious studies program here. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of University Of Pennsylvania earn a median of $73,053 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
Temple University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value philosophy & religious studies schools. Temple University is a very large public school located in the city of Philadelphia. Students from in state pay about $23,005 in tuition and fees, compared with $38,805 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the philosophy & religious studies program here. Early-career philosophy & religious studies graduates make about $28,648. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in philosophy & religious studies, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,926, compared with $41,430 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,958 to complete the philosophy & religious studies program here. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus generally make around $56,926. Set against $24,958 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in philosophy & religious studies will find it at Carnegie Mellon University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $65,636. Typical student debt for philosophy & religious studies graduates is $23,529. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from Carnegie Mellon University generally make around $89,327. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus landed the #6 spot for philosophy & religious studies value this year. Located in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $20,644, with out-of-state students paying around $41,790. Typical student debt for philosophy & religious studies graduates is $23,878. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from Pennsylvania State University Main Campus generally make around $17,881. That is a strong return on a $23,878 median debt. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
Bucknell University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value philosophy & religious studies schools. Bucknell University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Lewisburg. Students from in state pay about $67,812 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for philosophy & religious studies graduates is $25,951. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of Bucknell University earn a median of $64,331 early in their careers. Set against $25,951 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 29%.
More Philosophy & Religious Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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.
