2026 Best Value Philosophy Schools in Maryland
[Philosophy](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/philosophy/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for philosophy students.
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2026 Best Value Philosophy Schools in Maryland
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in philosophy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Philosophy Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Maryland College Park the best value for a degree in philosophy in Maryland. Located in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,809, compared with $41,186 for out-of-state students. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $20,164 in student loans. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $35,608. That is a strong return on a $20,164 median debt. University Of Maryland College Park admits about 45% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Salisbury University earned it the #2 place for philosophy. Salisbury University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Salisbury. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,084, while out-of-state students pay about $22,174. Students borrow a median of $23,545 to complete the philosophy program here. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $45,476. That is a strong return on a $23,545 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Towson University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value philosophy schools. Located in the city of Towson, Towson University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,728 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,820. Students borrow a median of $25,697 to complete the philosophy program here. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $50,370. Set against $25,697 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
