U.S. median for this major: $56,812.
College Scorecard field of study; 16 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 46% 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 $28,596. College Scorecard.
University of Iowa Philosophy: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Iowa colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
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 Iowa'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 | $15,316 | $64,940 | 3.2 years |
| $30–48k | $15,489 | $65,673 | 3.3 years |
| $48–75k | $19,930 | $84,503 | 4.2 years |
| $75–110k | $23,811 | $100,959 | 5.0 years |
| $110k+ | $26,266 | $111,368 | 5.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (57% 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 ($56,786) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $20,125 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.
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 Iowa, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Iowa
- Acceptance rate: 84% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $64,762
- Full cost breakdown · all 79 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Iowa
- History$46,819
- English$51,679
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$61,200
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$54,530
- Area Studies$43,083
- Linguistics—
University of Iowa Philosophy questions
How much do University of Iowa Philosophy graduates earn?
Philosophy graduates of University of Iowa earn a median $56,786 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Philosophy graduates across 85 colleges is $56,812.
How much debt do University of Iowa Philosophy graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Philosophy graduates of University of Iowa is $26,260, about 46% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,510.
Where does University of Iowa rank for Philosophy in Iowa?
Of 1 Iowa colleges reporting Philosophy graduate earnings, University of Iowa ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Philosophy graduates get?
A common career is natural sciences managers, with a median wage of $100,340 in the Iowa City, IA 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 Iowa Philosophy: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-iowa/majors/philosophy (College Scorecard and BLS data).