Philosophy Degree in Bloomington, IN — Salary & ROI 2026
Philosophy degree analysis for Bloomington, IN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$37K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$58K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
12.7 yrs
in Bloomington
Cost of Living
83
index (100 = avg)
Philosophy in Bloomington, IN Overview
While Bloomington has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Philosophy students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $12,831/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Although national enrollment in Philosophy has been declining, graduates with skills in Logic and Ethics remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Bloomington is approximately $36,520, growing to $58,100 by mid-career.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$10,948/yr
Private Tuition
$35,439/yr
Room & Board
$12,831/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,996/yr
Unemployment
5.2%
Graduation Rate
64%
Philosophy Salary in Bloomington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Bloomington's cost of living index of 83 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Philosophy salary: $44,000 starting, $70,000 mid-career, $90,000 senior level.Bloomington adjustment factor: 0.83x based on the local cost of living index.
Philosophy ROI Calculator for Bloomington
Estimate your return on investment for a Philosophy degree using local Bloomington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,948 | Private avg: $35,439
Bloomington avg aid: $13,996/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,116
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$7,470
vs HS diploma in Bloomington
ROI Payback Period
12.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Bloomington
$153,884
Lifetime earnings premium ($249,000) minus total education cost ($95,116)
Student Loan Payoff for Philosophy in Bloomington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Bloomington for Philosophy
Indiana University Bloomington
public
$10,948/yr
$43,792 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington
$4,540/yr
Top Employers for Philosophy in Bloomington
Bloomington offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Philosophy graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Bloomington Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Philosophy Job Titles
Philosophy in Nearby Indiana Cities
Indianapolis, IN
$41K starting · COL 94
25 colleges
Fort Wayne, IN
$45K starting · COL 103
24 colleges
Evansville, IN
$38K starting · COL 86
10 colleges
South Bend, IN
$39K starting · COL 89
9 colleges
Carmel, IN
$46K starting · COL 105.2
4 colleges
Fishers, IN
$44K starting · COL 100.5
4 colleges
Hammond, IN
$41K starting · COL 93.1
4 colleges
Lafayette, IN
$37K starting · COL 84.8
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Bloomington
Chinese Studies
$46K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$42K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$42K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$35K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$37K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$42K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$35K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History
$42K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Philosophy Degree in Bloomington — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Philosophy ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Bloomington.