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 36% 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 $39,694. College Scorecard.
Pennsylvania State University 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 Pennsylvania State University'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 | $19,845 | $83,349 | 2.8 years |
| $30–48k | $20,049 | $84,206 | 2.8 years |
| $48–75k | $25,667 | $107,801 | 3.6 years |
| $75–110k | $31,834 | $133,703 | 4.5 years |
| $110k+ | $37,831 | $158,890 | 5.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (70% 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 ($65,675) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $29,878 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 Pennsylvania colleges
Every Pennsylvania 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 | University of Pennsylvania | $107,454 | $18,500 | $28,699 | 97% |
| 2 | Pennsylvania State University | $65,675 | $23,878 | $32,875 | 86% |
| 3 | University of Scranton | $63,410 | $27,000 | $32,568 | 80% |
| 4 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $52,436 | — | $30,434 | 86% |
| 5 | Temple University | $47,414 | $25,000 | $28,198 | 75% |
57 more Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Pennsylvania State University
- Acceptance rate: 61% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 86% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,435
- Full cost breakdown · all 141 majors · overview
Related majors at Pennsylvania State University
- History$52,871
- English$50,299
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$58,195
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$62,831
- Area Studies—
- Linguistics—
Pennsylvania State University Philosophy questions
How much do Pennsylvania State University Philosophy graduates earn?
Philosophy graduates of Pennsylvania State University earn a median $65,675 four years after graduating and $17,881 one year after. The U.S. median for Philosophy graduates across 85 colleges is $56,812.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University Philosophy graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Philosophy graduates of Pennsylvania State University is $23,878, about 36% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,510.
Is Pennsylvania State University a good school for Philosophy in Pennsylvania?
On pay, Philosophy graduates of Pennsylvania State University earn $65,675 four years out, $1,133 above the median for the same major across 6 Pennsylvania colleges ($64,542) and $8,863 above the U.S. median ($56,812). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Pennsylvania State University rank for Philosophy in Pennsylvania?
Of 5 Pennsylvania colleges reporting Philosophy graduate earnings, Pennsylvania State University ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Pennsylvania at $107,454.
What jobs do Philosophy graduates get?
A common career is natural sciences managers, with a median wage of $122,930 in the State College, PA 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: “Pennsylvania State University Philosophy: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/majors/philosophy (College Scorecard and BLS data).