Philosophy Degree in Cincinnati, OH — Salary & ROI 2026
Philosophy degree analysis for Cincinnati, OH. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$71K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
10.9 yrs
in Cincinnati
Cost of Living
102
index (100 = avg)
Philosophy in Cincinnati, OH Overview
Cincinnati is one of Ohio's top college towns, with 28 institutions and a student population of 32,655. Public tuition averages $12,226/year here — near the national average for public universities. 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 Cincinnati is approximately $44,880, growing to $71,400 by mid-career.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
28
Public Tuition
$12,226/yr
Private Tuition
$43,040/yr
Room & Board
$12,772/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,666/yr
Unemployment
3.1%
Graduation Rate
70%
Philosophy Salary in Cincinnati (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Cincinnati's cost of living index of 102 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Philosophy salary: $44,000 starting, $70,000 mid-career, $90,000 senior level.Cincinnati adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Philosophy ROI Calculator for Cincinnati
Estimate your return on investment for a Philosophy degree using local Cincinnati tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,226 | Private avg: $43,040
Cincinnati avg aid: $12,666/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$99,992
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$9,180
vs HS diploma in Cincinnati
ROI Payback Period
10.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Cincinnati
$206,008
Lifetime earnings premium ($306,000) minus total education cost ($99,992)
Student Loan Payoff for Philosophy in Cincinnati
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Cincinnati for Philosophy
University of Cincinnati
public
$12,226/yr
$48,904 total
Xavier University
private
$43,040/yr
$172,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
$5,004/yr
Top Employers for Philosophy in Cincinnati
Cincinnati offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Philosophy graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Cincinnati Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Philosophy Job Titles
Philosophy in Nearby Ohio Cities
Columbus, OH
$45K starting · COL 103
31 colleges
Cleveland, OH
$42K starting · COL 96
20 colleges
Toledo, OH
$48K starting · COL 108
16 colleges
Akron, OH
$46K starting · COL 105
5 colleges
Dayton, OH
$46K starting · COL 104
9 colleges
Parma, OH
$40K starting · COL 90
4 colleges
Canton, OH
$37K starting · COL 84
4 colleges
Lorain, OH
$37K starting · COL 85.2
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Cincinnati
Chinese Studies
$56K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$51K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$51K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$43K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$45K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$51K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$43K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History
$51K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Philosophy Degree in Cincinnati — 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 Cincinnati.