2026 Best Value Philosophy Schools in Virginia
[Philosophy](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/philosophy/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 21 schools to find the best return on investment for philosophy students.
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2026 Best Value Philosophy Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in philosophy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Philosophy Schools
Virginia Commonwealth University earned the #1 spot for value among philosophy schools in Virginia. Set in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $16,720 in tuition and fees, compared with $39,884 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for philosophy graduates is $21,500. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $26,192. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
College Of William And Mary came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value philosophy schools. Located in the suburb of Williamsburg, College Of William And Mary is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $25,734, compared with $51,038 for out-of-state students. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $16,750 in student loans. Philosophy graduates of College Of William And Mary earn a median of $53,338 early in their careers. Set against $16,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. College Of William And Mary admits about 34% of applicants.
University Of Virginia Main Campus came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value philosophy schools. Located in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $23,118, while out-of-state students pay about $61,591. Typical student debt for philosophy graduates is $15,509. Soon after graduation, philosophy degree recipients from University Of Virginia Main Campus generally make around $69,126. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 17%.
A rank of #4 makes Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University one of the best values for philosophy. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public school located in the city of Blacksburg. Students from in state pay about $15,948 in tuition and fees, compared with $37,764 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for philosophy graduates is $23,393. Philosophy graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earn a median of $60,004 early in their careers. Set against $23,393 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University admits about 55% 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 · 21 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.
