College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Philosophy

106 Ranked Colleges
413 Degrees Awarded
$96,764 Avg Salary
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Philosophy is the 83rd most popular major in the country with 9,787 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. In , philosophy graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $30,510 and had an average of $21,103 in loans still to pay off.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 413 philosophy graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,735 and $124,256 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major” ranking looked at 106 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in philosophy. That schools that top this list have a program in philosophy in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Philosophy Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Philosophy Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for doctor’s degree philosophy students.

Top 25 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Philosophy

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Chicago Theological Seminary. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s philosophy degrees to 4 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Philosophy at Chicago Theological Seminary

2
Piedmont International University crest
Piedmont International University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Piedmont International University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. Piedmont International University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It awarded 12 doctorate’s philosophy degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Philosophy at Piedmont International University

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Garrett - Evangelical Theological Seminary. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s philosophy degrees to 8 students in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at Garrett - Evangelical Theological Seminary

4
Caribbean University - Bayamon crest
Caribbean University - Bayamon
Bayamon, Puerto Rico

Out of the 106 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Caribbean University - Bayamon landed the #4 spot on the list. Caribbean University - Bayamon is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. It awarded 3 doctorate’s philosophy degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Philosophy at Caribbean University - Bayamon

5
New School University crest
The New School
New York, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The New School. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. New School University is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 9 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full The New School Philosophy Report

6
The Graduate Center crest
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

The Graduate Center, CUNY did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking, coming in at #6. Located in New York, New York, this medium-sized public school awarded 9 degrees to qualified doctorate’s philosophy students in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at The Graduate Center

7

With a ranking of #7, University of Dallas did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. UD is a small school located in Irving, Texas that handed out 1 doctorate’s philosophy degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of Dallas Philosophy Report

8
Duquesne crest
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Duquesne University ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 24 doctorate’s philosophy degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at Duquesne University

9
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Philosophy at Stanford University

10
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 5 doctorate’s philosophy degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Emory University Philosophy Report

11

University of St. Thomas did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking, coming in at #11. UST is a private not-for-profit institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Philosophy at UST

12
CUA crest
Catholic University of America
Washington, District of Columbia

Catholic University of America came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. This small school is located in Washington, District of Columbia, and it awarded 4 doctorate’s philosophy degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Catholic University of America Philosophy Report

13
Villanova crest
Villanova University
Villanova, Pennsylvania

Villanova University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. Located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s philosophy students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at Villanova University

14
Claremont Graduate University crest
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, California

Claremont Graduate University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking, coming in at #14. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 1 doctorate’s philosophy degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Philosophy at Claremont Graduate University

15
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s philosophy degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy at Saint Louis University

16
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. Princeton University is a medium-sized school located in Princeton, New Jersey that handed out 7 doctorate’s philosophy degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Philosophy at Princeton

17
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. Boston College is a fairly large school located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts that handed out 8 doctorate’s philosophy degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Boston College Philosophy Report

18

Massachusetts Institute of Technology landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. MIT is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 99%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Philosophy at MIT

19
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. Notre Dame is located in Notre Dame, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 8 doctorate’s philosophy degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Notre Dame Philosophy Report

20
Tulane crest
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana

Tulane University of Louisiana came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in New Orleans, Louisiana, and it awarded 5 doctorate’s philosophy degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Tulane University of Louisiana Philosophy Report

21
Marquette crest
Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #21, Marquette University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s philosophy degrees to 4 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Philosophy at Marquette

22
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #22, Vanderbilt University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. This fairly large school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 4 doctorate’s philosophy degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Vanderbilt Philosophy Report

23
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Yale University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking, coming in at #23. Yale is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Yale Philosophy Report

24
Fordham U crest
Fordham University
Bronx, New York

With a ranking of #24, Fordham University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major list. Located in Bronx, New York, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s philosophy students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about Philosophy at Fordham U

25

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Philosophy Major ranking, coming in at #25. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Philosophy at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options