by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for philosophy students pursuing a master's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 806 master's degrees in philosophy during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
Your choice of philosophy for getting your master's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for philosophy students working on their master's degree.
The philosophy school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Philosophy Master's Degree Schools.
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for philosophy students seeking a a master's degree.
University of Pennsylvania is a great choice for individuals pursuing a master's degree in philosophy. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in philosophy from University of Pennsylvania
Every student who is interested in a master's degree in philosophy needs to look into Columbia University in the City of New York. Located in the large city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in philosophy from Columbia University in the City of New York
Boston College is one of the best schools in the country for getting a master's degree in philosophy. Boston College is a fairly large private not-for-profit college located in the small city of Chestnut Hill.More information about a master’s in philosophy from Boston College
It is difficult to beat Fordham University if you wish to pursue a master's degree in philosophy. Located in the large city of Bronx, Fordham U is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in philosophy from Fordham University
New York University is a great decision for individuals interested in a master's degree in philosophy. Located in the city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in philosophy from New York University
Emory University is a wonderful decision for students pursuing a master's degree in philosophy. Located in the large city of Atlanta, Emory is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in philosophy from Emory University
Located in the large city of Milwaukee, Marquette is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in philosophy from Marquette University
The American University is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Washington.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the philosophy program earn an average of $58,030 for their early career.
More information about a master’s in philosophy from American University
Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in philosophy from University of Wisconsin - Madison
Located in the city of Chicago, Loyola Chicago is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in philosophy from Loyola University Chicago
View the Best Philosophy Master's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
Philosophy is one of 3 different types of Philosophy & Religious Studies programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Philosophy | 683 |
| Applied & Professional Ethics | 52 |
| Ethics | 49 |
| Other Philosophy | 16 |
| Logic | 6 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Religious Studies | 1,332 |
| Other Philosophy & Religious Studies | 73 |
| General Philosophy & Religious Studies | 25 |