Philosophy: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 38.01. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 1,394 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 66 | 144 | $42,505 | $55,871 | $21,500 1 programs |
| Associate's degree | 129 | 411 | $33,648 | $41,229 | Data unavailable |
| Bachelor's degree | 819 | 7,102 | $37,154 | $54,455 | $20,000 77 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 8 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 196 | 828 | $44,578 | $60,272 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 130 | 440 | $59,414 | $70,449 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 2 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 44 | 47 | Data unavailable | $65,543 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania PA · Private, nonprofit · 88 graduates measured | $82,195 | $107,454 | $17,750 |
| University of Chicago IL · Private, nonprofit · 24 graduates measured | $80,705 | $71,709 | Data unavailable |
| American Public University System WV · Private, for-profit · 16 graduates measured | $76,837 | $64,098 | $45,160 |
| University of Notre Dame IN · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $75,466 | Data unavailable | $15,000 |
| Bentley University MA · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $65,581 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Boston College MA · Private, nonprofit · 58 graduates measured | $58,101 | $97,519 | $19,000 |
| Emory University GA · Private, nonprofit · 30 graduates measured | $56,363 | Data unavailable | $14,000 |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges NY · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $55,549 | $40,284 | Data unavailable |
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 35 graduates measured | $52,079 | $51,831 | $20,500 |
| CUNY City College NY · Public · 18 graduates measured | $51,499 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Southern Methodist University TX · Private, nonprofit · 29 graduates measured | $51,080 | Data unavailable | $22,375 |
| Brandeis University MA · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $50,517 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Columbia University in the City of New York NY · Private, nonprofit · 25 graduates measured | $49,361 | $56,885 | $23,750 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI · Public · 36 graduates measured | $47,723 | $67,293 | $21,183 |
| Sonoma State University CA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $46,650 | Data unavailable | $13,375 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson University TN · Private, nonprofit · 25 graduates measured | $71,658 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Biola University CA · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $56,977 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| American University DC · Private, nonprofit · 33 graduates measured | $55,267 | $82,273 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Philosophy
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural sciences managers | $167,220 | +8.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Mathematicians | $126,710 | +0.6% | Master's degree |
| Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary | $79,940 | +1.7% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary | $80,260 | +2.0% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (5)
- 38.0101 Philosophy
- 38.0102 Logic
- 38.0103 Ethics
- 38.0104 Applied and Professional Ethics
- 38.0199 Philosophy, Other