U.S. median for this major: $56,812.
College Scorecard field of study; 24 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 35% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $21,510.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $89,472. College Scorecard.
Columbia University in the City of New York Philosophy: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Philosophy nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Columbia University in the City of New York's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $4,570 | $19,148 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $2,275 | $9,532 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $5,866 | $24,579 | 1.1 years |
| $75–110k | $11,782 | $49,367 | 2.2 years |
| $110k+ | $50,621 | $212,102 | 9.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (80% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Philosophy graduates 4 years after graduating ($56,885) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,252 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Philosophy at New York colleges
Every New York college we cover that reports Philosophy graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | $78,041 | — | $3,203 | 56% |
| 2 | Fordham University | $74,507 | $22,999 | $44,338 | 82% |
| 3 | CUNY Brooklyn College | $67,948 | $14,125 | $3,103 | 54% |
| 4 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $56,885 | $20,062 | $21,590 | 96% |
| 5 | New York University | $52,633 | $24,128 | $37,050 | 88% |
| 6 | St. John's University-New York | $52,006 | — | $29,999 | 66% |
| 7 | CUNY Hunter College | $49,583 | — | $2,984 | 57% |
| 8 | CUNY Lehman College | $43,165 | $18,700 | $3,148 | 51% |
| 9 | Hobart William Smith Colleges | $40,284 | $27,000 | $31,563 | 77% |
63 more New York colleges offer Philosophy but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Philosophy graduates
Natural Sciences Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Columbia University in the City of New York, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Columbia University in the City of New York
- Acceptance rate: 4% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 96% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $102,491
- Full cost breakdown · all 67 majors · overview
Related majors at Columbia University in the City of New York
- History$98,079
- English$59,396
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$99,679
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Area Studies$96,884
- Linguistics—
Columbia University in the City of New York Philosophy questions
How much do Columbia University in the City of New York Philosophy graduates earn?
Philosophy graduates of Columbia University in the City of New York earn a median $56,885 four years after graduating and $52,668 one year after. The U.S. median for Philosophy graduates across 85 colleges is $56,812.
How much debt do Columbia University in the City of New York Philosophy graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Philosophy graduates of Columbia University in the City of New York is $20,062, about 35% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,510.
Is Columbia University in the City of New York a good school for Philosophy in New York?
On pay, Philosophy graduates of Columbia University in the City of New York earn $56,885 four years out, $4,252 above the median for the same major across 9 New York colleges ($52,633) and $73 above the U.S. median ($56,812). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Columbia University in the City of New York rank for Philosophy in New York?
Of 9 New York colleges reporting Philosophy graduate earnings, Columbia University in the City of New York ranks 4th. The highest is CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice at $78,041.
What jobs do Philosophy graduates get?
A common career is natural sciences managers, with a median wage of $180,460 in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area and $167,220 nationally.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Columbia University in the City of New York Philosophy: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york/majors/philosophy (College Scorecard and BLS data).