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 32% 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 $90,360. College Scorecard.
University of Chicago 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 University of Chicago'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 | $0 | $0 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $914 | $3,757 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $226 | $929 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $12,602 | $51,794 | 1.4 years |
| $110k+ | $48,524 | $199,434 | 5.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (86% 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 ($71,709) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $35,912 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 Chicago | $71,709 | $22,641 | $14,860 | 96% |
| 2 | Loyola University Chicago | $60,571 | $25,530 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 3 | Wheaton College | $40,076 | $23,685 | $26,975 | 85% |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $34,482 | $18,750 | $14,355 | 85% |
34 more Illinois 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 University of Chicago, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Chicago
- Acceptance rate: 4% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 96% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $91,885
- Full cost breakdown · all 52 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Chicago
- History$64,330
- English$78,169
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$96,510
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Area Studies—
- Linguistics—
University of Chicago Philosophy questions
How much do University of Chicago Philosophy graduates earn?
Philosophy graduates of University of Chicago earn a median $71,709 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Philosophy graduates across 85 colleges is $56,812.
How much debt do University of Chicago Philosophy graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Philosophy graduates of University of Chicago is $22,641, about 32% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,510.
Is University of Chicago a good school for Philosophy in Illinois?
On pay, Philosophy graduates of University of Chicago earn $71,709 four years out, $21,385 above the median for the same major across 4 Illinois colleges ($50,324) and $14,897 above the U.S. median ($56,812). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Chicago rank for Philosophy in Illinois?
Of 4 Illinois colleges reporting Philosophy graduate earnings, University of Chicago ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Philosophy graduates get?
A common career is natural sciences managers, with a median wage of $167,040 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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: “University of Chicago Philosophy: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-chicago/majors/philosophy (College Scorecard and BLS data).