2026 Best Value Philosophy Schools in Ohio
[Philosophy](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/philosophy/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong philosophy education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 44 schools to find the best return on investment for philosophy students.
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2026 Best Value Philosophy Schools in Ohio
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in philosophy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Philosophy Schools
Leading the list is Ohio State University Main Campus, our #1 best value for philosophy in Ohio. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,244, with out-of-state students paying around $40,022. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $26,247 in student loans. Soon after graduation, philosophy degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus generally make around $39,971. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Students looking for strong value in philosophy will find it at Tiffin University, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Tiffin, Tiffin University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,790. Typical student debt for philosophy graduates is $30,977. Philosophy graduates of Tiffin University earn a median of $51,326 early in their careers. Set against $30,977 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Franciscan University Of Steubenville earned it the #3 place for philosophy. Franciscan University Of Steubenville is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Steubenville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,100. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $32,165. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Dayton came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value philosophy schools. Set in the city of Dayton, University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $49,140. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $25,033 in student loans. Philosophy graduates of University Of Dayton earn a median of $56,077 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,033 median debt. University Of Dayton admits about 65% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 44 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
