College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Popular Colleges for Philosophy & Religious Studies

1,195 Ranked Colleges
19,993 Degrees Awarded
$36,700 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Philosophy & Religious Studies is the 28th most popular major in the country with 19,993 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, philosophy and religious studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,946 and had an average of $22,275 in loans still to pay off.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major” ranking, we looked at 1,195 colleges that offer a degree in philosophy and religious studies. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in philosophy and religious studies.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Philosophy & Religious Studies Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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.

Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for philosophy & religious studies students.

1
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Liberty University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major list. Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 807 diplomas to qualified ’s philosophy and religious studies students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at Liberty University

2
Yeshiva crest
Yeshiva University
New York, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Yeshiva University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major. New York, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees to 551 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, 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. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Yeshiva University Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

3
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major list. UPenn is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 214 ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Pennsylvania Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major. University of California - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 188 ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 undergraduate students.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at University of California - Los Angeles

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 182 ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at University of California - Santa Barbara

6

Columbia University in the City of New York did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking, coming in at #6. Columbia is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 124 ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Columbia University in the City of New York Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

7

University of California - Berkeley ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major list. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school handed out 106 diplomas to qualified ’s philosophy and religious studies students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 undergraduate students.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at UC Berkeley

7

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking, coming in at #7. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wake Forest, North Carolina. It awarded 106 ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at SEBTS

9
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking. This large school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it awarded 105 ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at University of Virginia

10

With a ranking of #10, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major list. Located in Austin, Texas, this large public school awarded 100 diplomas to qualified ’s philosophy and religious studies students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UT Austin Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

10
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking. Located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 100 diplomas to qualified ’s philosophy and religious studies students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad 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%.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at Boston College

12

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking, coming in at #12. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 98 ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, 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 full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

13
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

New York University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking. New York University is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 94 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at NYU

14

University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 107 ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees to qualified students.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at University of Wisconsin - Madison

14
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking. Emory University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Atlanta, Georgia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 86 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at Emory University

16
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking, coming in at #16. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 83 ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate 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.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at USC

17

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major list. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees to 84 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at U-M

17

University of Colorado Boulder ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major list. CU - Boulder is a public institution located in Boulder, Colorado. The school has a large population, and it awarded 81 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full CU - Boulder Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

19
Biola crest
Biola University
La Mirada, California

Biola University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking, coming in at #19. Located in La Mirada, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 80 degrees to qualified ’s philosophy and religious studies students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 & Religious Studies at Biola

19

University of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking. UST MN is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 81 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad 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 87%.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at UST MN

19
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking, coming in at #19. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 80 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Florida State Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

22

University of California - Riverside ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major list. This large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 79 ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at UCR

23

With a ranking of #23, Arizona State University - Skysong did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major list. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, this large public school awarded 74 diplomas to qualified ’s philosophy and religious studies students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at ASU - Skysong

23

With a ranking of #23, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major list. This large school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 74 ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%.

Full University of California - Irvine Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

25
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 73 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad 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 & Religious Studies at UChicago

25

Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major ranking. ASU - Tempe is a large public school situated in Tempe, Arizona. It awarded 95 ’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, 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 86%.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at ASU - Tempe

Rest of the Best 49 in Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major

Not only did these schools make the top 49 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

27
CUA crest
Catholic University of America
Washington, District of Columbia
27
27
27
Fordham U crest
Fordham University
Bronx, New York
31
31
33
34
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
34
36
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
36
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California
36
Tulane crest
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
39
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut
39
41
42
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
42
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia
42
Georgia State crest
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia
42
42
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
47
48
Piedmont International University crest
Piedmont International University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
49
Gratz College crest
Gratz College
Melrose Park, Pennsylvania
49
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Philosophy & Religious Studies Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Boston UniversityBoston, MA
52Jewish Theological Seminary of AmericaNew York, NY
53Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA
53Baylor UniversityWaco, TX
53University of California - San DiegoLa Jolla, CA
56University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN
57Women’S-Institute-Of-Torah-SeminaryBaltimore, MD
58Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN
59Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ
60University of Minnesota - Twin CitiesMinneapolis, MN
60Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA
62Rice UniversityHouston, TX
62California State University - FullertonFullerton, CA
62Indiana University - BloomingtonBloomington, IN
65University of Maryland - College ParkCollege Park, MD
RankCollegeLocation
66American UniversityWashington, DC
67George Washington UniversityWashington, DC
67Duke UniversityDurham, NC
67Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY
70The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL
70Seton Hall UniversitySouth Orange, NJ
70Loyola University ChicagoChicago, IL
70William & MaryWilliamsburg, VA
70University of South Florida - Main CampusTampa, FL
75Southern Methodist UniversityDallas, TX
75Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook, NY
75Franciscan University of SteubenvilleSteubenville, OH
78Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC
78Stanford UniversityStanford, CA
80University of OregonEugene, OR
80California Polytechnic State University - San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA
80Wayland Baptist UniversityPlainview, TX
80Elyon CollegeBrooklyn, NY
84The Graduate Center, CUNYNew York, NY
84University of ScrantonScranton, PA
86University of KansasLawrence, KS
86University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT
86University of IowaIowa City, IA
86The New SchoolNew York, NY
90Colgate UniversityHamilton, NY
RankCollegeLocation
90Purdue University - Main CampusWest Lafayette, IN
90Furman UniversityGreenville, SC
93St Olaf CollegeNorthfield, MN
93University of MaryBismarck, ND
93University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL
93San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA
93Brown UniversityProvidence, RI
98University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL
98Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA
98Miami University - OxfordOxford, OH
98Ohio State University - Main CampusColumbus, OH
102University of South Carolina - ColumbiaColumbia, SC
102California State University - NorthridgeNorthridge, CA
102Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PA
102University of Oklahoma Norman CampusNorman, OK
106Texas A&M University - College StationCollege Station, TX
106University of New Mexico - Main CampusAlbuquerque, NM
106University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherst, MA
106Saint Louis UniversitySaint Louis, MO
110Tufts UniversityMedford, MA
110Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY
110Brandeis UniversityWaltham, MA
110California State University - SacramentoSacramento, CA
110Beulah Heights UniversityAtlanta, GA
115California Baptist UniversityRiverside, CA
RankCollegeLocation
116The University of Tennessee - KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN
116University of North TexasDenton, TX
116Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA
116Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, TX
116Claremont School of TheologyClaremont, CA
121Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, WI
121Binghamton UniversityVestal, NY
121Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, VA
124Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL
124Hillsdale CollegeHillsdale, MI
124University of ConnecticutStorrs, CT
124University of VermontBurlington, VT
124Spertus CollegeChicago, IL
124Hunter CollegeNew York, NY
124Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC
124University of DallasIrving, TX
124George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA
124Lehman CollegeBronx, NY
124University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC
135University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL
135Crown CollegeSaint Bonifacius, MN
135Friends UniversityWichita, KS
138University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WI
138Hobart and William Smith CollegesGeneva, NY
138Hebrew Theological CollegeSkokie, IL
RankCollegeLocation
138Gonzaga UniversitySpokane, WA
138University of Mary WashingtonFredericksburg, VA
138Seminary Bnos ChaimLakewood, NJ
138Dartmouth CollegeHanover, NH
138Northern Baptist Theological SeminaryLisle, IL
138Vanguard University of Southern CaliforniaCosta Mesa, CA
138Utah State UniversityLogan, UT
138Saint Mary’s University of MinnesotaWinona, MN
149Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL
149University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA
149University of North FloridaJacksonville, FL
149Colorado State University - Fort CollinsFort Collins, CO
149University of Nevada - RenoReno, NV
149Seattle UniversitySeattle, WA
149University of RochesterRochester, NY
149Utah Valley UniversityOrem, UT
149DePaul UniversityChicago, IL
149University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, AL
159San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA
159University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY
159Wabash CollegeCrawfordsville, IN
159University of Hawaii at ManoaHonolulu, HI
159Western Washington UniversityBellingham, WA
159California State Polytechnic University - PomonaPomona, CA
159University of Colorado at Colorado SpringsColorado Springs, CO
RankCollegeLocation
159Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, CA
167Wesleyan UniversityMiddletown, CT
167Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA
167Washington University in St LouisSaint Louis, MO
167Clemson UniversityClemson, SC
167Gettysburg CollegeGettysburg, PA
167Portland State UniversityPortland, OR
167California State University - ChicoChico, CA
174Indiana University - Purdue University - IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN
174Faith International UniversityTacoma, WA
174Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MI
174James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, VA
174Hamilton CollegeClinton, NY
174University of MemphisMemphis, TN
174Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX
174Duquesne UniversityPittsburgh, PA

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options