Philosophy degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in philosophy earn a median $56,812 four years after finishing, across 85 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in philosophy and religious studies earn $55,860, $6,189 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is other managers (4%).
Median across 85 colleges; middle half $49,583–$63,410.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $34,947–$84,266. 2,005 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Philosophy And Religious Studies"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$20,222/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs philosophy graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in philosophy and religious studies actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Managers | 4% | — | — | — | — |
| Software Developers | 3% | $135,980 | +10.2% | Bachelor's degree | IC |
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 2% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Clergy | 2% | $60,810 | +2.4% | Bachelor's degree | SE |
| Human Resources Workers | 2% | $76,700 | +6.1% | — | — |
| Paralegals And Legal Assistants | 2% | $62,890 | -0.3% | Associate's degree | CIE |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2% | $44,770 | -5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Retail Salespersons | 2% | $35,410 | -0.3% | No formal educational credential | EC |
These 8 jobs account for 19% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Philosophy earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $59,935 (3) | — |
| California | $52,479 (16) | $75,765 (277) |
| Florida | $48,357 (4) | — |
| Illinois | $50,324 (4) | — |
| Massachusetts | $68,328 (4) | — |
| Minnesota | $53,189 (3) | — |
| New Jersey | $58,891 (4) | — |
| New York | $52,633 (9) | $60,915 (205) |
| North Carolina | $58,285 (3) | — |
| Pennsylvania | $64,542 (6) | — |
| Texas | $54,822 (5) | $65,628 (110) |
| Wisconsin | $59,370 (3) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where philosophy graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 21 in Florida, 22 in Virginia, 57 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA | $98,592 | — |
| 2 | William & MaryVA | $75,423 | $16,750 |
| 3 | University of California-Santa BarbaraCA | $71,796 | $15,000 |
| 4 | California State University-SacramentoCA | $65,115 | $15,034 |
| 5 | Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVA | $64,402 | $21,500 |
| 6 | University of California-BerkeleyCA | $63,326 | $14,475 |
| 7 | University of California-Los AngelesCA | $61,754 | $15,000 |
| 8 | University of California-DavisCA | $58,633 | $13,200 |
| 9 | San Diego State UniversityCA | $53,390 | $27,000 |
| 10 | California State University-Los AngelesCA | $53,127 | — |
| 11 | University of FloridaFL | $52,656 | $17,217 |
| 12 | University of Southern CaliforniaCA | $51,831 | $11,491 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Philosophy degree questions
How much do Philosophy graduates make?
Philosophy graduates earn a median $56,812 four years after finishing, across 85 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $49,583 to $63,410; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in philosophy and religious studies, the median is $55,860 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Philosophy degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in philosophy and religious studies earn a median $55,860: $6,189 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $20,222 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Philosophy graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in philosophy and religious studies, the most common jobs are other managers (4%), software developers (3%), elementary and middle school teachers (2%).
How much do Philosophy graduates earn in Florida?
Across 4 Florida colleges reporting, Philosophy graduates earn a median $48,357 four years after graduating.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Philosophy degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/philosophy.