Philosophy Degree in San Francisco, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Philosophy degree analysis for San Francisco, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$50K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$80K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
8.7 yrs
in San Francisco
Cost of Living
114
index (100 = avg)
Philosophy in San Francisco, CA Overview
San Francisco is one of California's top college towns, with 22 institutions and a student population of 65,778. Public tuition averages $7,266/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. 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 San Francisco is approximately $50,160, growing to $79,800 by mid-career.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
22
Public Tuition
$7,266/yr
Private Tuition
$36,185/yr
Room & Board
$15,030/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,071/yr
Unemployment
3.4%
Graduation Rate
58%
Philosophy Salary in San Francisco (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for San Francisco's cost of living index of 114 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Philosophy salary: $44,000 starting, $70,000 mid-career, $90,000 senior level.San Francisco adjustment factor: 1.14x based on the local cost of living index.
Philosophy ROI Calculator for San Francisco
Estimate your return on investment for a Philosophy degree using local San Francisco tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,266 | Private avg: $36,185
San Francisco avg aid: $11,071/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$89,184
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$10,260
vs HS diploma in San Francisco
ROI Payback Period
8.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in San Francisco
$252,816
Lifetime earnings premium ($342,000) minus total education cost ($89,184)
Student Loan Payoff for Philosophy in San Francisco
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in San Francisco for Philosophy
University of San Francisco
private
$54,514/yr
$218,056 total
San Francisco State University
public
$7,266/yr
$29,064 total
Golden Gate University
private
$17,856/yr
$71,424 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
City College of San Francisco
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Philosophy in San Francisco
San Francisco offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Philosophy graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key San Francisco Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Philosophy Job Titles
Philosophy in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$62K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$62K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$57K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
Fresno, CA
$52K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$49K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$51K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$58K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Bakersfield, CA
$59K starting · COL 134
18 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in San Francisco
Chinese Studies
$63K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$57K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$57K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$48K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$50K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$57K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$48K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History
$57K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Philosophy Degree in San Francisco — 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 San Francisco.