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
SEBTS crest
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Wake Forest, North Carolina

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
UST MN crest
University of St Thomas Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

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:

Rank College Location
51 Boston University Boston, MA
52 Jewish Theological Seminary of America New York, NY
53 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
53 Baylor University Waco, TX
53 University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA
56 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN
57 Women’S-Institute-Of-Torah-Seminary Baltimore, MD
58 Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN
59 Princeton University Princeton, NJ
60 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN
60 Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA
62 Rice University Houston, TX
62 California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA
62 Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN
65 University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD
Rank College Location
66 American University Washington, DC
67 George Washington University Washington, DC
67 Duke University Durham, NC
67 Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
70 The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL
70 Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ
70 Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL
70 William & Mary Williamsburg, VA
70 University of South Florida - Main Campus Tampa, FL
75 Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX
75 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY
75 Franciscan University of Steubenville Steubenville, OH
78 Georgetown University Washington, DC
78 Stanford University Stanford, CA
80 University of Oregon Eugene, OR
80 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
80 Wayland Baptist University Plainview, TX
80 Elyon College Brooklyn, NY
84 The Graduate Center, CUNY New York, NY
84 University of Scranton Scranton, PA
86 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS
86 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
86 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
86 The New School New York, NY
90 Colgate University Hamilton, NY
Rank College Location
90 Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN
90 Furman University Greenville, SC
93 St Olaf College Northfield, MN
93 University of Mary Bismarck, ND
93 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL
93 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
93 Brown University Providence, RI
98 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL
98 Temple University Philadelphia, PA
98 Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OH
98 Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH
102 University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC
102 California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA
102 Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA
102 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
106 Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX
106 University of New Mexico - Main Campus Albuquerque, NM
106 University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, MA
106 Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO
110 Tufts University Medford, MA
110 Cornell University Ithaca, NY
110 Brandeis University Waltham, MA
110 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
110 Beulah Heights University Atlanta, GA
115 California Baptist University Riverside, CA
Rank College Location
116 The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN
116 University of North Texas Denton, TX
116 Villanova University Villanova, PA
116 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
116 Claremont School of Theology Claremont, CA
121 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
121 Binghamton University Vestal, NY
121 Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA
124 Northwestern University Evanston, IL
124 Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI
124 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
124 University of Vermont Burlington, VT
124 Spertus College Chicago, IL
124 Hunter College New York, NY
124 Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC
124 University of Dallas Irving, TX
124 George Mason University Fairfax, VA
124 Lehman College Bronx, NY
124 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
135 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
135 Crown College Saint Bonifacius, MN
135 Friends University Wichita, KS
138 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI
138 Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY
138 Hebrew Theological College Skokie, IL
Rank College Location
138 Gonzaga University Spokane, WA
138 University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA
138 Seminary Bnos Chaim Lakewood, NJ
138 Dartmouth College Hanover, NH
138 Northern Baptist Theological Seminary Lisle, IL
138 Vanguard University of Southern California Costa Mesa, CA
138 Utah State University Logan, UT
138 Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Winona, MN
149 Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL
149 University of San Diego San Diego, CA
149 University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL
149 Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO
149 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV
149 Seattle University Seattle, WA
149 University of Rochester Rochester, NY
149 Utah Valley University Orem, UT
149 DePaul University Chicago, IL
149 University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL
159 San Jose State University San Jose, CA
159 University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY
159 Wabash College Crawfordsville, IN
159 University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI
159 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA
159 California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona, CA
159 University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO
Rank College Location
159 Pepperdine University Malibu, CA
167 Wesleyan University Middletown, CT
167 Wellesley College Wellesley, MA
167 Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO
167 Clemson University Clemson, SC
167 Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PA
167 Portland State University Portland, OR
167 California State University - Chico Chico, CA
174 Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
174 Faith International University Tacoma, WA
174 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI
174 James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA
174 Hamilton College Clinton, NY
174 University of Memphis Memphis, TN
174 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
174 Duquesne University Pittsburgh, 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