University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Philosophy: earnings, debt & careers

Philosophy graduates of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn a median $70,709 four years after graduating ($34,284 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $15,408. That is $13,897 above the U.S. median for Philosophy graduates ($56,812 across 85 colleges), and ranks 1st of 3 North Carolina colleges.

Show numbers for my family

Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$70,709

U.S. median for this major: $56,812.

College Scorecard field of study; 32 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$34,284

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$15,408

About 22% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $21,510.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$11,655 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $26,055. College Scorecard.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Philosophy: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduates$70,709
North Carolina median (3 colleges)$58,285 (+$12,424)
U.S. median (85 colleges)$56,812 (+$13,897)

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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$2,004$8,176under 1 year
$30–48k$3,918$15,985under 1 year
$48–75k$8,538$34,835under 1 year
$75–110k$16,415$66,9731.8 years
$110k+$24,396$99,5362.7 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 ($70,709) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $37,193 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 North Carolina colleges

Every North Carolina college we cover that reports Philosophy graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill$70,709$15,408$11,65591%
2North Carolina State University at Raleigh$58,285$24,135$17,30385%
3University of North Carolina at Charlotte$46,067$25,000$15,43569%

16 more North Carolina colleges offer Philosophy but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Philosophy graduates

Natural Sciences Managers

Durham area$183,540
North Carolina$173,870
U.S.$167,220

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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Related majors at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Philosophy questions

How much do University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Philosophy graduates earn?

Philosophy graduates of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn a median $70,709 four years after graduating and $34,284 one year after. The U.S. median for Philosophy graduates across 85 colleges is $56,812.

How much debt do University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Philosophy graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Philosophy graduates of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $15,408, about 22% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,510.

Is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill a good school for Philosophy in North Carolina?

On pay, Philosophy graduates of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn $70,709 four years out, $12,424 above the median for the same major across 3 North Carolina colleges ($58,285) and $13,897 above the U.S. median ($56,812). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill rank for Philosophy in North Carolina?

Of 3 North Carolina colleges reporting Philosophy graduate earnings, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Philosophy graduates get?

A common career is natural sciences managers, with a median wage of $183,540 in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC area and $167,220 nationally.

Is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill the right fit for your family?

Get a free report comparing University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.

Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting in

We never share your contact information.

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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill Philosophy: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/majors/philosophy (College Scorecard and BLS data).