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 94%
  2. Oberlin College 35%
  3. Kenyon College 34%
  4. Reed College 31%
  5. Bryn Mawr College 31%
  6. Macalester College 28%
  7. University of Richmond 24%
  8. Vassar College 19%
  9. Carleton College 17%
  10. Davidson College 17%
  1. San Francisco State University 19 to 1
  2. Colorado College 10 to 1
  3. Macalester College 10 to 1
  4. Barnard College 10 to 1
  5. Bowdoin College 9 to 1
  6. Reed College 9 to 1
  7. Kenyon College 9 to 1
  8. Colgate University 9 to 1
  9. Davidson College 9 to 1
  10. Grinnell College 9 to 1
  1. Kenyon College $66,490
  2. Colorado College $65,028
  3. Vassar College $64,800
  4. Reed College $64,760
  5. Wesleyan University $64,322
  6. Colgate University $64,290
  7. Amherst College $64,100
  8. Haverford College $63,628
  9. Carleton College $62,634
  10. Barnard College $62,525
  1. Claremont McKenna College $65,574
  2. Colgate University $63,904
  3. Vassar College $63,840
  4. Wesleyan University $63,722
  5. Williams College $61,775
  6. Bryn Mawr College $50,730
  7. Oberlin College $29,692
  8. Colorado College $27,600
  9. University of Richmond $26,280
  10. Middlebury College $14,550
  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 7%
  3. Amherst College 7%
  4. Williams College 8%
  5. Bowdoin College 9%
  6. Barnard College 9%
  7. Claremont McKenna College 10%
  8. Grinnell College 11%
  9. United States Military Academy 12%
  10. Colgate University 12%
  1. Williams College 6 to 1
  2. Amherst College 7 to 1
  3. Pomona College 7 to 1
  4. Wesleyan University 7 to 1
  5. Vassar College 7 to 1
  6. Wellesley College 7 to 1
  7. United States Military Academy 7 to 1
  8. Swarthmore College 8 to 1
  9. Carleton College 8 to 1
  10. Bryn Mawr College 8 to 1
  1. San Francisco State University $5,742
  2. Davidson College $57,340
  3. Pomona College $59,238
  4. Swarthmore College $59,328
  5. Bryn Mawr College $59,330
  6. University of Richmond $60,330
  7. Claremont McKenna College $60,715
  8. Grinnell College $61,480
  9. Bowdoin College $61,528
  10. Williams College $61,770
  1. San Francisco State University $7,176
  2. Middlebury College $14,550
  3. University of Richmond $26,280
  4. Colorado College $27,600
  5. Oberlin College $29,692
  6. Bryn Mawr College $50,730
  7. Williams College $61,775
  8. Wesleyan University $63,722
  9. Vassar College $63,840
  10. Colgate University $63,904

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

    $64K

    Acceptance

    14%

    Graduation

    93%

    Student body

    4K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1415/32

    Wesleyan University Philosophy Major Tracks:

    • General Philosophy
    • Social Justice
    Source
  2. #2

    Swarthmore College

    Swarthmore , PA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $59K

    Acceptance

    7%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1500/33

  3. #3

    Wellesley College

    Wellesley , MA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    14%

    Graduation

    90%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1490/34

  4. #4

    Amherst College

    Amherst , MA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $64K

    Acceptance

    7%

    Graduation

    92%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1485/33

  5. #5

    Williams College

    Williamstown , MA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    8%

    Graduation

    95%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1525/34

  6. #6

    Pomona College

    Claremont , CA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $59K

    Acceptance

    7%

    Graduation

    95%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1520/34

    Pomona College Philosophy Majors:

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

    Barnard College

    New York , NY
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $63K

    Acceptance

    9%

    Graduation

    92%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1495/33

  8. #8

    Colgate University

    Hamilton , NY
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $64K

    Acceptance

    12%

    Graduation

    91%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1470/33

  9. #9

    Reed College

    Portland , OR
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $65K

    Acceptance

    31%

    Graduation

    80%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1410/31

  10. #10

    Claremont McKenna College

    Claremont , CA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $61K

    Acceptance

    10%

    Graduation

    91%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1495/34

  11. #11

    Bowdoin College

    Brunswick , ME
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    9%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1510/34

  12. #12

    Haverford College

    Haverford , PA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $64K

    Acceptance

    14%

    Graduation

    91%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1485/34

  13. #13

    Middlebury College

    Middlebury , VT
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    13%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    5K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1482/34

  14. #14

    Davidson College

    Davidson , NC
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $57K

    Acceptance

    17%

    Graduation

    92%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1425/32

  15. #15

    Vassar College

    Poughkeepsie , NY
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $65K

    Acceptance

    19%

    Graduation

    92%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1482/33

  16. Other Rankings

    Acceptance

    12%

    Graduation

    88%

    Student body

    5K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1335/30

  17. #18

    Oberlin College

    Oberlin , OH
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    35%

    Graduation

    83%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1445/31

  18. #20

    San Francisco State University

    San Francisco , CA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $8K

    Acceptance

    94%

    Graduation

    55%

    Student body

    30K

    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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