Philosophy Degree in Philadelphia, PA — Salary & ROI 2026
Philosophy degree analysis for Philadelphia, PA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$66K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$105K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
11.3 yrs
in Philadelphia
Cost of Living
150
index (100 = avg)
Philosophy in Philadelphia, PA Overview
Philadelphia is one of Pennsylvania's top college towns, with 42 institutions and a student population of 116,806. Public tuition averages $18,526/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 Philadelphia is approximately $66,000, growing to $105,000 by mid-career.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
42
Public Tuition
$18,526/yr
Private Tuition
$59,845/yr
Room & Board
$19,639/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,866/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
52%
Philosophy Salary in Philadelphia (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Philadelphia's cost of living index of 150 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Philosophy salary: $44,000 starting, $70,000 mid-career, $90,000 senior level.Philadelphia adjustment factor: 1.50x based on the local cost of living index.
Philosophy ROI Calculator for Philadelphia
Estimate your return on investment for a Philosophy degree using local Philadelphia tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $18,526 | Private avg: $59,845
Philadelphia avg aid: $10,866/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$152,660
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,500
vs HS diploma in Philadelphia
ROI Payback Period
11.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Philadelphia
$297,340
Lifetime earnings premium ($450,000) minus total education cost ($152,660)
Student Loan Payoff for Philosophy in Philadelphia
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Philadelphia for Philosophy
University of Pennsylvania
private
$63,452/yr
$253,808 total
Temple University
public
$18,526/yr
$74,104 total
Drexel University
private
$56,238/yr
$224,952 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Community College of Philadelphia
$6,378/yr
Top Employers for Philosophy in Philadelphia
Philadelphia offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Philosophy graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Philadelphia Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Philosophy Job Titles
Philosophy in Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Pittsburgh, PA
$51K starting · COL 115
12 colleges
Allentown, PA
$50K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Reading, PA
$52K starting · COL 118
3 colleges
Erie, PA
$53K starting · COL 120
4 colleges
Upper Darby, PA
$42K starting · COL 94.5
4 colleges
Scranton, PA
$53K starting · COL 120
8 colleges
Bethlehem, PA
$55K starting · COL 125
7 colleges
Lower Merion, PA
$40K starting · COL 91.4
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Philadelphia
Chinese Studies
$83K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$75K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$75K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$63K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$66K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$75K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$63K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History
$75K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Philosophy Degree in Philadelphia — 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 Philadelphia.