Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Philosophy Degrees

Badge for BEST FOR PHILOSOPHY LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES

The best philosophy liberal arts colleges are those with rich histories of influence, proven through the work produced by the program’s faculty and alumni. Beyond demonstrating scholarly impact in the field, the best philosophy degree programs maximize your opportunities to interact with outstanding philosophy faculty.

Featured Programs

Key Takeaways

  • A philosophy degree allows students to explore abstract and real phenomena, including arguments and investigations about their logical structures.
  • Get ready to study diverse core subjects like logic, ethics, aesthetics, symbolism, epistemology, metaphysics, and the history of philosophy.
  • Most philosophy graduates can find jobs in management, education, social service, the legal sector, and the business world.

Top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges Philosophy Programs

Sort by:
  1. Wesleyan University
  2. Swarthmore College
  3. Wellesley College
  4. Amherst College
  5. Williams College
  6. Pomona College
  7. Barnard College
  8. Colgate University
  9. Reed College
  10. Claremont McKenna College
  1. Wesleyan University
  2. Amherst College
  3. United States Military Academy
  4. Oberlin College
  5. Williams College
  6. Swarthmore College
  7. Wellesley College
  8. Bryn Mawr College
  9. Vassar College
  10. Barnard College
  1. San Francisco State University 93%
  2. Reed College 44%
  3. Bryn Mawr College 39%
  4. Kenyon College 37%
  5. Oberlin College 34%
  6. Macalester College 31%
  7. University of Richmond 29%
  8. Vassar College 20%
  9. Wesleyan University 19%
  10. Davidson College 18%
  1. San Francisco State University 22 to 1
  2. Macalester College 10 to 1
  3. Colorado College 9 to 1
  4. Reed College 9 to 1
  5. Kenyon College 9 to 1
  6. Colgate University 9 to 1
  7. Davidson College 9 to 1
  8. Oberlin College 9 to 1
  9. Barnard College 9 to 1
  10. Bowdoin College 8 to 1
  1. Kenyon College $63,310
  2. Vassar College $62,870
  3. Reed College $62,730
  4. Colorado College $62,070
  5. Wesleyan University $62,049
  6. Colgate University $61,966
  7. Haverford College $61,210
  8. Amherst College $61,150
  9. Wellesley College $60,752
  10. Macalester College $60,518
  1. Claremont McKenna College $64,288
  2. Vassar College $61,940
  3. Colgate University $61,594
  4. Wesleyan University $61,449
  5. Williams College $59,728
  6. Bryn Mawr College $48,328
  7. Colorado College $34,300
  8. Oberlin College $29,692
  9. University of Richmond $25,620
  10. San Francisco State University $7,176
  1. Carleton College
  2. Colorado College
  3. Grinnell College
  4. University of Richmond
  5. Macalester College
  6. San Francisco State University
  7. Bryn Mawr College
  8. Oberlin College
  9. Kenyon College
  10. United States Military Academy
  1. Macalester College
  2. Claremont McKenna College
  3. Davidson College
  4. Grinnell College
  5. Colorado College
  6. University of Richmond
  7. Kenyon College
  8. Carleton College
  9. Middlebury College
  10. Colgate University
  1. Pomona College 7%
  2. Swarthmore College 8%
  3. Amherst College 9%
  4. Williams College 9%
  5. Bowdoin College 9%
  6. Claremont McKenna College 11%
  7. Barnard College 11%
  8. Grinnell College 11%
  9. United States Military Academy 11%
  10. Middlebury College 13%
  1. Pomona College 6 to 1
  2. Williams College 6 to 1
  3. Amherst College 7 to 1
  4. Swarthmore College 7 to 1
  5. Wellesley College 7 to 1
  6. United States Military Academy 7 to 1
  7. Bowdoin College 8 to 1
  8. Carleton College 8 to 1
  9. Bryn Mawr College 8 to 1
  10. Wesleyan University 8 to 1
  1. San Francisco State University $5,742
  2. Davidson College $55,200
  3. Swarthmore College $56,056
  4. Bryn Mawr College $56,320
  5. Pomona College $56,686
  6. Claremont McKenna College $58,111
  7. Bowdoin College $58,322
  8. University of Richmond $58,570
  9. Grinnell College $58,648
  10. Williams College $59,660
  1. San Francisco State University $7,176
  2. University of Richmond $25,620
  3. Oberlin College $29,692
  4. Colorado College $34,300
  5. Bryn Mawr College $48,328
  6. Williams College $59,728
  7. Wesleyan University $61,449
  8. Colgate University $61,594
  9. Vassar College $61,940
  10. Claremont McKenna College $64,288

Do you sometimes pause and think about why things are the way they are? If your curiosity gets the best of you, it may be a nudge to pave a career path with a degree in philosophy.

In a nutshell, philosophy is best defined as a way of thinking. Studying philosophy as an antecedent of science enhances your ability to evaluate and resolve problems. Analyzing concepts, definitions, arguments, and problems will become easier once you enroll in a philosophy degree. 

In a philosophy degree program, students are taught to comprehend complex texts, solve problems, formulate logical arguments, and analyze complex situations with exceptional skills. Some of the promising professions waiting for you are professors, researchers, ministers, consultants, counselors, and journalists. It’s time to start researching the best liberal arts college to enroll in a philosophy program.

Frequently Asked Questions About Philosophy Bachelor’s Degrees

Earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy can open numerous professionals doors. As a philosophy major, you’ll spend a great deal of your time poring over compelling historical texts, exploring complex ideas, and engaging discourse over subjects like ethics, religion, and politics. This education will provide you with valuable skills of debate, communication, and persuasion. Moreover, areas of consideration such as morality, behavior, and the human condition have historically factored into the way we understand entities such as national governments, religious organizations, and communities. Philosophy majors must build a strong background in these dimensions of human life in order to contextualize much of the literature they’ll be required to read. As such, philosophy majors are uniquely positioned to understand history, participate in the political process, analyze policy impacts, and even to serve in public office.

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Philosophy is a great major because it is interdisciplinary in nature. This means you’ll gain various practical skills. The skills of communication, research, and critical analysis that you’ll develop as a philosophy major are highly transferable to a wide range of workplace settings. Increasingly, progressive companies in the tech, marketing, and retail industries have recruited professionals with a background in philosophy to help attack challenges and seize opportunities with creativity, critical thinking, and a strong grounding in ethics.

This makes the work of today’s leading thinkers extremely consequential. Today, top influencers in philosophy are breaking new ground in feminist theory, the philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, and much more.

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Once you’ve declared your major in philosophy, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of humanities-related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized philosophy electives, there are several common courses that most philosophy majors will be required to take, including:

  • Social and Political Philosophy
  • Critical Thinking
  • Philosophy and Globalization
  • Topics in Feminist Ethics
  • Philosophy and Literature
  • General Ethics
  • Biomedical Ethics
  • Philosophy of Knowledge
  • Environmental Philosophy

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Philosophy is not an inherently career-oriented major, insofar as this degree may not necessarily lead you down a specific career path. Instead, majoring in philosophy will arm you with an array of 21st Century workplace skills that are applicable in a wide range of fields from education, marketing and government to healthcare, information security, and corporate ethics. This means that your philosophy major can lead to a wide range of career opportunities, including these top jobs:

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If you think a research university may be a better fit for you, see our ranking of the best research universities for a bachelor’s in philosophy.

Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Philosophy Degrees

  1. #1

    Wesleyan University

    Middletown , CT
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    19%

    Graduation

    91%

    Student body

    3K

    Wesleyan University Philosophy Major Tracks:

    • General Philosophy
    • Social Justice
    Source
  2. #2

    Swarthmore College

    Swarthmore , PA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $56K

    Acceptance

    8%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1467/32

    Swarthmore College Philosophy Major:

    • BA in Philosophy
    Source
  3. #3

    Wellesley College

    Wellesley , MA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $61K

    Acceptance

    16%

    Graduation

    92%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1435/32

  4. #4

    Amherst College

    Amherst , MA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $61K

    Acceptance

    9%

    Graduation

    92%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1495/33

  5. #5

    Williams College

    Williamstown , MA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $60K

    Acceptance

    9%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    2K

  6. #6

    Pomona College

    Claremont , CA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $57K

    Acceptance

    7%

    Graduation

    93%

    Student body

    2K

    Pomona College Philosophy Majors:

    • Philosophy
    • Philosophy, Politics & Economics
    Source
  7. #7

    Barnard College

    New York , NY
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $60K

    Acceptance

    11%

    Graduation

    93%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1434/32

  8. #8

    Colgate University

    Hamilton , NY
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    17%

    Graduation

    90%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1385/31

  9. #9

    Reed College

    Portland , OR
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $63K

    Acceptance

    44%

    Graduation

    73%

    Student body

    1K

  10. #10

    Claremont McKenna College

    Claremont , CA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $58K

    Acceptance

    11%

    Graduation

    93%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1415/32

  11. #11

    Bowdoin College

    Brunswick , ME
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $58K

    Acceptance

    9%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    2K

  12. #12

    Haverford College

    Haverford , PA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $61K

    Acceptance

    18%

    Graduation

    90%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1440/33

  13. #13

    Middlebury College

    Middlebury , VT
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $60K

    Acceptance

    13%

    Graduation

    91%

    Student body

    4K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1430/32

  14. #14

    Davidson College

    Davidson , NC
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $55K

    Acceptance

    18%

    Graduation

    90%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1380/31

  15. #15

    Vassar College

    Poughkeepsie , NY
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $63K

    Acceptance

    20%

    Graduation

    93%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1440/33

  16. Other Rankings

    Acceptance

    11%

    Graduation

    84%

    Student body

    5K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1325/30

  17. #18

    Oberlin College

    Oberlin , OH
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $60K

    Acceptance

    34%

    Graduation

    82%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1315/30

  18. #20

    San Francisco State University

    San Francisco , CA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $7K

    Acceptance

    93%

    Graduation

    54%

    Student body

    31K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1030/19

    SFSU Philosophy Major:

    • BA in Philosophy
    Source

Career Outlook for Students with Philosophy Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Philosophy And Religious Studies

Degree Level: Bachelor's

  • Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)

Career Salaries

CareerJob GrowthAvg. Salary
Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary2.75%$76,104

Average Career Salaries

Bottom 10%MedianTop 10%
$46,769$75,035$123,451

Promising Job Markets

StateCost of LivingAvg. Salary
#2 Ohio14% higher than average$80,060
#3 Georgia13% higher than average$80,350
#4 Texas10% higher than average$81,680
#5 New York5% higher than average$94,880
#6 Vermont13% higher than average$101,990

Top Industries

IndustryAvg. Salary
Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary$76,104

Go to all Liberal Arts Colleges for Philosophy programs

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