2027 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools in North Carolina
[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.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for philosophy & religious studies students.
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2027 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in philosophy & religious studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools
Leading the list is University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, our #1 best value for philosophy & religious studies in North Carolina. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,994, with out-of-state students paying around $41,203. Typical student debt for philosophy & religious studies graduates is $13,122. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn a median of $33,937 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill admits about 15% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary earned it the #2 place for philosophy & religious studies. Located in the suburb of Wake Forest, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,318. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary earn a median of $54,863 early in their careers. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of North Carolina At Greensboro one of the best values for philosophy & religious studies. University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a very large public school located in the city of Greensboro. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,661, compared with $24,012 for out-of-state students. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $22,527 in student loans. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of University Of North Carolina At Greensboro earn a median of $20,287 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,527 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Students looking for strong value in philosophy & religious studies will find it at Western Carolina University, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,630, with out-of-state students paying around $8,630. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $24,174 in student loans. Early-career philosophy & religious studies graduates make about $44,926. That is a strong return on a $24,174 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Appalachian State University earned it the #5 place for philosophy & religious studies. Set in the town of Boone, Appalachian State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,579, while out-of-state students pay about $25,212. Students borrow a median of $17,500 to complete the philosophy & religious studies program here. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of Appalachian State University earn a median of $42,340 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value philosophy & religious studies schools. Set in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,239, with out-of-state students paying around $22,492. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $24,697 in student loans. Early-career philosophy & religious studies graduates make about $30,655. Set against $24,697 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
North Carolina State University At Raleigh came in at #7 for value in philosophy & religious studies this year. North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public school located in the city of Raleigh. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,799, with out-of-state students paying around $32,847. Students borrow a median of $24,135 to complete the philosophy & religious studies program here. Early-career philosophy & religious studies graduates make about $59,622. That is a strong return on a $24,135 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Gardner Webb University landed the #8 spot for philosophy & religious studies value this year. Located in the rural area of Boiling Springs, Gardner Webb University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,750. Students borrow a median of $25,033 to complete the philosophy & religious studies program here. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from Gardner Webb University generally make around $63,220. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Gardner Webb University admits about 77% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Wilmington came in at #9 for value in philosophy & religious studies this year. Located in the city of Wilmington, University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,277 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $24,152. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $23,013 in student loans. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Wilmington generally make around $46,164. That is a strong return on a $23,013 median debt. University Of North Carolina At Wilmington admits about 64% of applicants.
Wake Forest University came in at #10 for value in philosophy & religious studies this year. Set in the city of Winston-Salem, Wake Forest University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,642. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $21,577 in student loans. Early-career philosophy & religious studies graduates make about $67,369. Set against $21,577 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Wake Forest University admits about 22% of applicants.
Duke University came in at #11 for value in philosophy & religious studies this year. Duke University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Durham. Students from in state pay about $68,758 in tuition and fees. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $13,296 in student loans. Early-career philosophy & religious studies graduates make about $39,956. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.
