2026 Best Philosophy Schools in Virginia
Philosophy degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 21 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for philosophy students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Philosophy in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall philosophy education in Virginia.
Top Schools in Philosophy
University Of Virginia Main Campus tops our 2026 ranking of the best philosophy schools. University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public school located in the suburb of Charlottesville. About 96% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 25 philosophy students who graduated with this degree at University Of Virginia Main Campus in the most recent data year. Graduates of the philosophy program make about $69,126 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,509.
See the full philosophy program report for University Of Virginia Main Campus
College Of William And Mary is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in philosophy, landing the #2 spot this year. College Of William And Mary is a large public school located in the suburb of Williamsburg. College Of William And Mary graduates 89% of students within six years. College Of William And Mary awarded about 19 philosophy degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, philosophy degree recipients from College Of William And Mary generally make around $53,338. Typical student debt for the program is $16,750.
Get the full philosophy details for College Of William And Mary
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in philosophy, ranking #3. Set in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public institution. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University graduates 86% of students within six years. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University awarded about 61 philosophy degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the philosophy program make about $60,004 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $23,393 to complete this degree.
Read more about the philosophy program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University
Students looking for a strong philosophy program will find one at Virginia Commonwealth University, which ranked #4. This very large public university is located in the city of Richmond. The six-year graduation rate is 63%. There were roughly 20 philosophy students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Commonwealth University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their philosophy degree from Virginia Commonwealth University earn around $26,192 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,500.
Read more about the philosophy program at Virginia Commonwealth University
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 21 schools evaluated.
- 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.
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