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Philosophy & Ethics

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

Philosophy majors learn to read difficult texts, think carefully about hard questions, and write rigorous arguments. Coursework covers metaphysics, ethics, logic, epistemology, philosophy of science, and the history of philosophy from the ancient Greeks through today. Ethics tracks dig into applied and professional ethics—bioethics, business ethics, technology ethics—connecting abstract reasoning to real-world dilemmas.

The major is small, discussion-heavy, and writing-intensive, with senior thesis projects on topics students care deeply about.

What you'll do after college

Philosophy majors go into law (they consistently score among the highest on the LSAT), journalism, business, consulting, tech (especially in AI ethics and policy), publishing, education, and graduate school.

The major teaches analytical writing and clear thinking—skills employers value highly. Pay varies, but the major is associated with strong long-term career outcomes despite the stereotype of the unemployable philosopher.

Famous graduates

  • Carly Fiorina — Former CEO of Hewlett-Packard; B.A. in Philosophy and Medieval History from Stanford University
  • Wes Anderson — Acclaimed filmmaker; B.A. in Philosophy from University of Texas at Austin

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$53,125
912
100–86%
$57,772
2,128
86–59%
$61,772
2,143
59–13%
$77,830
892
13–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$50,638
675
400–1140
$58,644
1,752
1140–1310
$66,590
1,703
1310–1480
$76,830
723
1480–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings by acceptance rate and institution category

$48,350p10 $69,200p90 Art & Music STEM, Business & Military Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University 20–30% 10–20% 0–10% The New School · $58,330 SUNY at Purchase College · $49,190 Worcester Polytechnic Institute · $74,078 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · $78,347 Rochester Institute of Technology · $58,190 New Jersey Institute of Technology · $61,178 Cal Poly - Pomona · $47,518 Missouri University of Science and Technology · $60,072 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · $58,352 Kenyon College · $56,140 Lafayette College · $69,373 Franklin and Marshall College · $66,327 Bucknell University · $72,682 Oberlin College · $56,929 Muhlenberg College · $56,450 Mount Holyoke College · $54,653 Connecticut College · $61,502 Scripps College · $57,555 St. Lawrence University · $59,453 Gettysburg College · $56,250 Whitman College · $51,148 Hampden-Sydney College · $64,009 Dickinson College · $62,629 Union College · $61,234 Southwestern University · $55,758 Wofford College · $61,329 Occidental College · $54,876 Rollins College · $57,382 Austin College · $55,558 Centre College · $60,320 Furman University · $73,664 Kalamazoo College · $55,694 Providence College · $64,092 Grove City College · $55,672 Rhodes College · $63,711 Lake Forest College · $59,420 Nazareth University · $50,788 Centenary College of Louisiana · $56,766 DePauw University · $62,680 The College of Idaho · $49,208 University of the South · $60,383 Wabash College · $66,020 Adrian College · $48,749 Allegheny College · $51,878 Albion College · $49,920 Cornell College · $54,655 Goucher College · $49,831 Carroll College · $56,547 Wesleyan College · $49,457 Berry College · $56,075 Carroll University · $55,781 Drew University · $52,909 Drury University · $51,976 Transylvania University · $60,952 Augustana College (IL) · $60,895 Hobart William Smith Colleges · $38,712 Hollins University · $45,500 Calvin University · $51,195 Maryville College · $52,640 Millsaps College · $60,932 North Central College · $54,637 Eckerd College · $50,556 Knox College · $54,974 Saint Mary's College of California · $59,990 Beloit College · $60,205 Hastings College · $63,697 Loras College · $62,460 Spring Hill College · $59,557 Whitworth University · $55,129 University of Puget Sound · $54,956 St. Mary's College of Maryland · $59,466 Augustana University · $59,061 Earlham College · $55,292 Gustavus Adolphus College · $59,423 Hanover College · $55,605 Taylor University · $56,147 Lipscomb University · $57,321 New College of Florida · $48,874 Covenant College · $52,273 Georgetown College · $52,330 LaGrange College · $52,077 Lawrence University · $51,565 St Catherine University · $55,100 Hamline University · $55,408 Manchester University · $53,044 Susquehanna University · $54,924 Warren Wilson College · $41,714 Saint Anselm College · $62,338 University of the Northwest (Willamette University) · $54,180 Moravian University · $58,350 Rocky Mountain College · $47,865 Lewis & Clark College · $50,244 Westmont College · $58,002 Juniata College · $54,654 Roanoke College · $55,068 Sweet Briar College · $56,030 York College of Pennsylvania · $49,727 Wittenberg University · $53,823 Flagler College · $46,219 Ursinus College · $56,509 Converse University · $49,289 Nebraska Wesleyan University · $61,672 Saint Mary's College (IN) · $59,912 University of Redlands · $58,026 Simmons University · $60,533 Washington & Jefferson College · $63,277 Linfield University · $58,665 McPherson College · $52,700 Batten University · $49,021 Eureka College · $49,375 McDaniel College · $54,667 Wilmington College · $49,656 Hope College · $52,764 Central College · $58,103 Pacific Lutheran University · $50,826 Aquinas College · $55,174 Saint Michael's College · $56,694 Simpson College · $60,942 University of the Northwest (Pacific University) · $51,305 Randolph College · $50,934 Franklin College · $57,733 University of Georgia · $51,160 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $50,138 William & Mary · $73,551 Binghamton University · $35,376 San Diego State University · $46,532 University of California, Santa Barbara · $64,505 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire · $57,354 North Carolina State University · $67,804 University of South Florida · $63,708 University of Wisconsin - Madison · $64,834 University of Tennessee, Knoxville · $69,540 University of Washington · $58,783 Clemson University · $51,765 University of Central Florida · $62,090 Purdue University · $65,309 University of Maryland, Baltimore County · $58,461 University of Maryland, College Park · $71,701 Cal State Long Beach · $46,347 University of California, Davis · $53,782 State University of New York at New Paltz · $50,436 Auburn University · $62,034 CUNY Bernard M Baruch College · $57,370 Stony Brook University · $60,377 Ohio State University · $66,854 Ramapo College of New Jersey · $55,916 Texas A&M University - College Station · $62,937 CUNY Brooklyn College · $67,169 CUNY Queens College · $51,932 Cal State Fullerton · $48,502 Northern Illinois University · $57,245 West Chester University of Pennsylvania · $60,341 University of West Florida · $48,518 University of Connecticut · $60,823 Pennsylvania State University · $65,884 University of South Carolina · $53,043 New Mexico State University · $46,682 CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice · $48,466 Georgia State University · $58,137 CUNY City College · $45,632 CUNY Lehman College · $43,846 Central Connecticut State University · $50,534 University of Arkansas at Little Rock · $50,184 Florida Atlantic University · $48,281 University of Pittsburgh · $53,986 University of Massachusetts - Amherst · $56,364 University of New Mexico · $55,214 Florida International University · $49,825 State University of New York at Cortland · $56,670 Truman State University · $55,203 College of New Jersey · $60,178 Frostburg State University · $50,454 Northeastern Illinois University · $52,401 Virginia Tech · $76,432 Winthrop University · $48,999 University of North Carolina Wilmington · $53,219 Lincoln University · $51,454 Fresno State · $38,567 University of Hawaii at Hilo · $47,837 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities · $59,019 University of Alaska - Fairbanks · $53,566 Western Carolina University · $36,531 Ball State University · $53,637 Eastern Michigan University · $56,127 Rutgers University - New Brunswick · $64,905 University at Albany · $63,392 University of North Florida · $49,656 James Madison University · $86,849 Texas Tech University · $67,421 University of Michigan - Dearborn · $54,142 University of Texas at Dallas · $61,179 Georgia Southern University · $49,909 SUNY Oneonta · $57,801 Eastern Illinois University · $48,411 University of Colorado Boulder · $88,212 Louisiana State University · $55,291 University of Alabama · $62,045 University of Delaware · $61,232 College of Charleston · $55,035 University of Tennessee, Chattanooga · $49,302 Wright State University · $50,436 Wichita State University · $50,834 University of California, Santa Cruz · $48,263 Farmingdale State College · $52,947 University of Vermont · $51,966 Oklahoma State University · $60,731 University of Arkansas · $62,110 Miami University - Ohio · $62,746 SUNY College at Geneseo · $58,645 University of Alabama in Huntsville · $59,114 University of Michigan - Flint · $48,729 University of Wisconsin - La Crosse · $56,111 University of Colorado Denver · $51,427 University of Rhode Island · $58,898 Cal State East Bay · $56,320 University of Idaho · $48,543 University of Louisville · $47,738 University of Tennessee, Martin · $49,311 University of Wisconsin - Parkside · $49,817 University of Houston · $57,903 University of Illinois Chicago · $50,839 Indiana University · $48,937 Purdue University Northwest · $49,617 SUNY Brockport · $49,462 University of Minnesota - Morris · $49,000 University of Missouri - Kansas City · $63,598 Valdosta State University · $48,701 Rowan University · $53,549 Rutgers University - Newark · $64,149 SUNY Old Westbury · $50,203 University of Missouri · $63,434 University of Oklahoma - Norman · $67,045 University of North Carolina at Charlotte · $57,823 East Tennessee State University · $47,377 Eastern Kentucky University · $48,350 Middle Tennessee State University · $50,796 University of New Hampshire · $56,425 Youngstown State University · $49,645 Arkansas State University · $50,005 University of Missouri - Saint Louis · $50,059 Oregon State University · $56,355 Coastal Carolina University · $48,683 Rutgers University - Camden · $64,956 University of Illinois Springfield · $49,597 University of Massachusetts Boston · $69,200 Kennesaw State University · $58,395 University of Iowa · $58,363 University of West Georgia · $48,266 Cal State Bakersfield · $49,055 Metropolitan State University of Denver · $48,749 Portland State University · $44,251 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania · $37,811 State University of New York at Oswego · $50,180 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $59,737 University of Toledo · $72,614 University of Mary Washington · $49,737 San Jose State University · $62,570 University at Buffalo · $58,524 University of Texas at Arlington · $51,791 University of Central Oklahoma · $48,659 University of New Orleans · $47,345 University of North Texas · $38,135 Bowling Green State University · $51,164 East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · $50,421 Eastern Washington University · $50,144 Indiana University of Pennsylvania · $48,656 Kent State University at Kent · $49,903 Morgan State University · $51,229 Sonoma State University · $68,553 University of North Carolina Asheville · $48,554 University of North Dakota · $67,664 University of Utah · $59,368 Southern Connecticut State University · $50,571 Western Michigan University · $50,352 William Paterson University of New Jersey · $50,543 University of Nevada, Reno · $56,507 Michigan State University · $60,751 Stephen F. Austin State University · $49,900 University of Arizona · $71,235 Mississippi State University · $55,174 Wayne State University · $55,290 Boise State University · $50,214 Indiana University - Indianapolis · $53,910 University of Nevada, Las Vegas · $56,795 Morehead State University · $49,143 SUNY Buffalo State University · $46,483 Cal State Dominguez Hills · $48,577 Cal State San Bernardino · $47,726 Cal State Stanislaus · $50,932 Central Washington University · $49,239 Fort Hays State University · $60,161 Fort Lewis College · $45,421 Rhode Island College · $51,429 Saint Cloud State University · $52,156 Southern Utah University · $49,449 Stockton University · $48,339 University of Akron · $49,225 University of Maine · $51,502 University of Massachusetts - Lowell · $50,677 West Virginia University · $67,105 Metropolitan State University · $56,990 Ohio University · $60,050 Indiana University Southeast · $50,071 Northern Michigan University · $47,997 Eastern Connecticut State University · $51,978 University of Southern Maine · $49,188 Illinois State University · $58,818 Bridgewater State University · $51,137 Indiana University - South Bend · $49,268 University of California, Riverside · $61,480 Washington State University · $57,273 Temple University · $41,489 University of Washington - Bothell · $59,012 George Mason University · $58,311 University of Nebraska at Omaha · $60,591 University of Oregon · $53,917 Salisbury University · $58,800 University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · $43,615 Iowa State University · $62,416 University of Houston - Downtown · $52,183 Cal State Northridge · $51,096 Georgia College & State University · $59,270 Towson University · $55,333 University of Cincinnati · $58,650 University of Hawaii at Manoa · $46,449 Arizona State University · $70,275 Cleveland State University · $51,101 University of Alaska - Anchorage · $53,280 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $39,946 University of Northern Colorado · $50,127 Christopher Newport University · $68,019 Florida Gulf Coast University · $48,197 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee · $49,103 University of Minnesota - Duluth · $50,304 Montclair State University · $48,684 Radford University · $49,714 Oakland University · $50,943 Northern Arizona University · $48,224 University of Montana · $49,010 University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh · $57,102 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point · $45,349 Cal State Los Angeles · $52,391 SUNY at Fredonia · $49,182 Southwest Minnesota State University · $50,485 University of Texas at San Antonio · $47,923 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay · $48,911 Chico State · $49,908 Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts · $49,037 Texas State University · $51,464 Old Dominion University · $51,384 Indiana State University · $49,511 Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi · $49,785 University of Central Arkansas · $50,336 University of North Carolina at Greensboro · $30,775 Utah State University · $57,662 East Carolina University · $58,040 Millersville University of Pennsylvania · $48,740 Missouri State University - Springfield · $51,290 University of Kansas · $68,518 Virginia Commonwealth University · $44,595 Grand Valley State University · $44,535 Cal Poly - Humboldt · $44,119 San Francisco State University · $48,594 University of Northern Iowa · $58,508 University of Memphis · $41,206 University of Kentucky · $61,001 Cal State Sacramento · $45,133 Sam Houston State University · $49,397 Western Washington University · $45,450 Appalachian State University · $51,397 Pennsylvania Western University · $65,660 University of Alabama at Birmingham · $57,784 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $52,939 University of South Alabama · $48,642 College of Staten Island CUNY · $50,392 Kansas State University · $61,453 University of Wyoming · $51,591 University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth · $50,211 Salem State University · $49,967 University of California, Merced · $51,761 University of Southern Indiana · $48,733 University of Colorado Colorado Springs · $48,615 Austin Peay State University · $47,683 Idaho State University · $48,032 University of Mississippi · $63,222 Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville · $33,924 University of South Dakota · $57,788 Montana State University · $50,287 University of Texas at El Paso · $48,083 Utah Valley University · $49,153 Washburn University · $58,973 Weber State University · $51,205 Union University · $56,441 Columbia International University · $42,811 Santa Clara University · $69,004 Southern Methodist University · $66,420 Texas Christian University · $62,907 Loyola Marymount University · $56,780 Saint Olaf College · $53,191 Azusa Pacific University · $53,774 Belmont Abbey College · $49,923 Loyola University New Orleans · $54,138 Baylor University · $59,973 John Brown University · $53,632 University of San Diego · $56,972 Ohio Dominican University · $52,965 Quincy University · $49,985 Oklahoma Baptist University · $48,849 Charleston Southern University · $49,521 California Lutheran University · $53,474 Fordham University · $83,706 College of Wooster · $40,652 Creighton University · $64,301 High Point University · $61,413 University of Dayton · $62,697 Biola University · $52,313 University of San Francisco · $58,532 Manhattan University · $62,281 Wheaton College (IL) · $57,009 Yeshiva University · $60,211 Evangel University · $52,323 Clark Atlanta University · $46,930 Albright College · $52,774 Franciscan University of Steubenville · $54,682 Merrimack College · $55,944 Spring Arbor University · $51,209 American University · $65,882 Sacred Heart University · $62,034 Stonehill College · $60,470 Rockhurst University · $61,122 Brigham Young University · $57,082 Ashland University · $50,287 California Baptist University · $50,516 Eastern University · $48,132 Ohio Northern University · $62,946 Seton Hall University · $76,496 Xavier University of Louisiana · $48,763 Pepperdine University · $60,738 Loyola University Maryland · $67,613 Elmhurst University · $57,348 Lewis University · $48,976 St. Thomas University (FL) · $52,082 Assumption University · $61,126 Iona University · $60,868 John Carroll University · $26,663 Newman University · $59,504 University of Detroit Mercy · $57,899 Chapman University · $71,239 Le Moyne College · $56,411 Salve Regina University · $60,034 University of Dallas · $57,893 Emmanuel College · $56,856 Ouachita Baptist University · $57,698 Mercer University · $57,474 Millikin University · $57,034 Saint Louis University · $65,272 Loyola University Chicago · $83,529 Baldwin Wallace University · $54,288 University of Dubuque · $52,604 University of Jamestown · $61,241 Fresno Pacific University · $53,348 Marquette University · $54,396 St. Bonaventure University · $52,827 Saint Vincent College · $50,207 DeSales University · $57,122 Carson-Newman University · $49,680 Geneva College · $47,958 University of Mary · $60,350 Samford University · $59,766 Gonzaga University · $59,123 St. Joseph's University - New York · $50,269 St. Ambrose University · $62,688 University of Scranton · $68,885 Canisius University · $50,677 La Salle University · $58,677 University of Portland · $56,981 Messiah University · $49,179 Mount St. Mary's University · $51,869 Seattle University · $57,604 University of Mount Saint Vincent · $58,406 University of Northwestern - St Paul · $48,073 Siena College · $58,709 Gannon University · $49,565 Point Loma Nazarene University · $52,329 Xavier University · $59,401 Regis University · $51,754 Houston Christian University · $58,127 Saint John's University (MN) · $62,387 Saint Norbert College · $56,564 St. John's University - New York · $45,895 Wingate University · $49,205 Catholic University of America · $60,638 Holy Cross College · $56,590 Duquesne University · $57,177 Emory & Henry University · $49,149 DePaul University · $40,219 Misericordia University · $57,162 Gordon College · $53,636 Palm Beach Atlantic University · $48,526 Cornerstone University · $50,488 Indiana Wesleyan University · $49,141 Saint Edward's University · $55,477 Seattle Pacific University · $58,020 St. Mary's University · $49,995 Bellarmine University · $58,077 Belmont University · $57,994 University of the Incarnate Word · $50,588 St. Thomas Aquinas College · $52,034 Thomas More University · $61,118 University of Lynchburg · $49,078 Saint Mary's University of Minnesota · $55,418 University of Saint Thomas (TX) · $50,428 Benedictine College · $55,075 Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary · $55,851 Southern Virginia University · $45,702 Case Western Reserve University · $66,910 University of Tampa · $55,110 Clark University · $53,535 University of Rochester · $67,456 Howard University · $60,271 Brandeis University · $78,246 George Washington University · $61,853 Syracuse University · $53,737 Marist University · $63,470 Lindenwood University · $51,778 Jacksonville University · $58,741 Elon University · $67,482 Drake University · $61,450 Adelphi University · $54,940 Hofstra University · $55,375 Westminster University · $55,225 Ithaca College · $57,329 University of the Pacific · $62,032 University of La Verne · $52,202 Stetson University · $55,056 Pace University · $58,430 Bradley University · $59,888 Drexel University · $63,727 Rider University · $57,338 Butler University · $58,215 Suffolk University · $60,256 Manhattanville College · $70,438 University of Denver · $61,383 Webster University · $53,437 Roosevelt University · $53,166 Lehigh University · $83,120 University of Florida · $59,338 Florida State University · $59,395 University of Texas at Austin · $76,850 CUNY Hunter College · $56,510 University of California, San Diego · $31,812 University of California, Irvine · $65,474 Villanova University · $73,282 Hillsdale College · $59,047 Vassar College · $43,708 Carleton College · $63,426 Colorado College · $56,690 University of Richmond · $69,254 Smith College · $53,840 Skidmore College · $58,887 Spelman College · $57,939 Berea College · $50,534 Trinity University · $60,612 Pitzer College · $58,718 Morehouse College · $57,176 Bryn Mawr College · $51,885 Macalester College · $56,411 Reed College · $45,567 Trinity College (CT) · $67,647 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $87,204 Emory University · $74,877 Tufts University · $69,418 Carnegie Mellon University · $78,907 University of Southern California · $67,812 Washington University in St Louis · $72,968 Boston University · $79,057 Tulane University · $55,936 Northeastern University · $73,491 University of Miami · $75,846 Wake Forest University · $75,634 University of California, Berkeley · $46,325 University of Virginia · $76,629 Georgia Tech · $73,199 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor · $82,708 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · $83,393 Florida A&M University · $48,275 Georgetown University · $81,978 Boston College · $117,590 Barnard College · $64,070 Davidson College · $59,798 Middlebury College · $69,296 Haverford College · $71,004 Washington & Lee University · $74,603 Hamilton College · $59,418 Grinnell College · $68,251 Bates College · $62,991 Wellesley College · $65,057 Wesleyan University · $69,206 College of the Holy Cross · $69,123 Colgate University · $76,110 Denison University · $63,512 United States Air Force Academy · $65,476 United States Military Academy · $64,814 Stanford University · $91,810 Princeton University · $76,953 Vanderbilt University · $83,660 Columbia University · $63,024 Harvard University · $86,058 Yale University · $97,226 MIT · $89,752 Duke University · $75,927 Brown University · $84,212 Dartmouth · $52,969 Johns Hopkins University · $73,786 University of Pennsylvania · $113,554 Northwestern University · $96,914 Rice University · $80,620 New York University · $53,484 Cornell University · $80,431 UCLA · $63,958 University of Notre Dame · $71,245 Bowdoin College · $72,408 Pomona College · $72,952 Swarthmore College · $75,668 Amherst College · $72,320 Colby College · $68,764 Williams College · $79,406 Claremont McKenna College · $68,877 Art & Music: mean $53,760 STEM, Business & Military: mean $62,534 Liberal Arts: mean $56,056 Public University: mean $53,888 Religious University: mean $55,898 Private University: mean $59,616 20–30%: mean $60,173 10–20%: mean $70,811 0–10%: mean $77,839 All colleges: p10 $48,350 All colleges: p90 $69,200
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Philosophy & Ethics 701 6,075 54% / 46% 5% $58,325 92%
Philosophy 655 5,082 55% / 45% 5% $56,820 92%
Science, Technology and Society 24 472 44% / 56% 2% $66,558 95%
Science, Technology, and Society 7 117 52% / 48% 5% $70,225 92%
Philosophy and Religious Studies 40 78 53% / 47% 1% $55,884 98%
Artificial Intelligence (Liberal Arts) 1 78 72% / 28% 10% $65,309
Applied and Professional Ethics 7 75 48% / 52% 1% $59,115 87%
Science, Technology, and International Affairs 1 72 35% / 65% 14% $81,620
Philosophy and Religion 10 25 20% / 80% 4% $51,575 94%
Bioethics/Medical Ethics 3 25 12% / 88% 0% $67,396
Ethics 6 15 40% / 60% 7% $54,273 95%
Bioethics 2 13 0% / 100% 0% $62,343
Society, Ethics, and Human Behavior 1 7 14% / 86% 0% $58,783 95%
Philosophical Studies 1 5 100% / 0% 0% $63,565
Science & Technology Studies 1 5 0% / 100% 20% $82,022
Philosophy, Religion and Society 1 3 33% / 67% 0% $64,433
Philosophy (Course 24-1) 1 2 0% / 100% 0% $89,752
Applied Ethics 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $58,217