by our College Data Analytics Team
[Philosophy](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/philosophy/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. 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 16 schools to find the best return on investment for philosophy students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the philosophy degrees they offer, see the list below.
Arizona State University tops our 2026 list of the best value philosophy schools in Arizona. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,223, compared with $33,139 for out-of-state students. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $26,250 in student loans. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $40,286. That is a strong return on a $26,250 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Arizona came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value philosophy schools. Located in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,573, while out-of-state students pay about $39,903. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $21,250 in student loans. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $34,289. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
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The ranking above is published 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 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.