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Philosophy and Religious Studies

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Philosophy and Religious Studies

Philosophy and Religious Studies graduates earn $46,083 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $31,399 and $63,159. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.

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About Philosophy and Religious Studies

This page covers Philosophy and Religious Studies as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Philosophy & Religion and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.

Philosophy and Religious Studies is a focused area of study within Philosophy & Religion. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $46,083 four years out, a modest return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 57 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 202 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.

Median Earnings · 1yr: $28,712
Median Earnings · 4yr: $46,083
Colleges Offering: 57
Graduates / Year: 202
Avg Net Price / yr: $20,482

How Much Do Philosophy and Religious Studies Graduates Earn?

Four years after finishing Philosophy and Religious Studies, a typical graduate earns $46,083, below average for bachelor's degree holders. Half of earners land somewhere between $31,399 and $63,159, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Do not judge the field on a starting paycheck alone: pay tends to jump in the first few years, climbing from $28,712 at one year out to $46,083 by year four. Source: College Scorecard.

What that figure means in practice depends on what the degree cost to get, which is a matter of lifetime earnings against total outlay.

$28,712

1 Year After Graduation

Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.

$46,083

4-Year National Median

Below average for bachelor's degree holders.

$51,100

4-Year Institutional Median

Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.

Earnings Range

Not every Philosophy and Religious Studies graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out a moderate amount, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Career path divergence explains most of the range. Law, consulting, and tech-adjacent roles pull the top end up; writing, education, and nonprofit roles tend to sit near the bottom.

$31,399 25th pct.

$46,083 Median

$63,159 75th pct.

Understanding the Cost vs. Return

At median 4-year earnings of $46,083 and an estimated $81,928 four-year net cost, earnings breakeven against a baseline wage takes approximately 5.1 years. Compare specific programs before committing to a high-cost option.

Based on outcomes from 63 schools. Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.

Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown

Of the 202 students who complete Philosophy and Religious Studies programs each year, the majority (49%) earn a bachelor's degree. The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.

49% 46%

Bachelor's 49%

Master's 46%

Doctorate 5%

What Can You Do With a Philosophy and Religious Studies Degree?

This degree does not lock you into one job. Philosophy and Religious Studies graduates show up in 1 different occupations, and Philosophy and Religion Teachers pay the most at $80,260/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.

The best-paid of these is what Philosophy and Religion Teachers earn and how fast those roles are growing, though entry requirements vary across the list.

↗ +2.0% Zone 5: Extensive preparation

Philosophy and Religion Teachers

$80,260

$63K $105K 25th–75th pct.

Doctoral or professional degree 1,800 openings/yr 20K employed nationally

Reading Comprehension Instructing Speaking Active Listening Critical Thinking

Day-to-day responsibilities

Teach courses in philosophy, religion, and theology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students and the community on topics such as ethics, logic, and contemporary religious thought.

Top Colleges for Philosophy and Religious Studies

Not sure where to study Philosophy and Religious Studies? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.

Ranked by score, that list starts with the cost and outcomes at Biola University, and the rest follow the same measures.

#	College	Graduates	Acceptance	Net Price/yr	Earnings 10yr
1	Biola University La Mirada, CA · Nonprofit	46	74.4%	$31,495	$56,778
2	Maharishi International University Fairfield, IA · Nonprofit	26	95.7%	$14,956	$27,981
3	University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC · Public	18	64.2%	$20,109	$54,967
4	James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA · Public	14	71.5%	$23,322	$69,954
5	University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA · Public	14	79.8%	$20,667	$60,613
6	Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY · Nonprofit	8	4%	$21,590	$102,491
7	Truman State University Kirksville, MO · Public	7	83.8%	$12,780	$56,280
8	The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN · Public	6	81.1%	$14,265	$51,151
9	San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA · Public	3	96.4%	$12,278	$68,077
10	Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee, FL · Public	3	20.6%	$13,739	$44,349
11	Quincy University Quincy, IL · Nonprofit	3	50.9%	$20,359	$50,369
12	Albertus Magnus College New Haven, CT · Nonprofit	3	59.3%	$34,028	$60,144
13	University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN · Nonprofit	2	11.3%	$26,780	$99,980
14	Radford University Radford, VA · Public	2	89.5%	$14,578	$53,739
15	University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NC · Public	2	93.3%	$10,260	$43,407
16	Butler University Indianapolis, IN · Nonprofit	2	85.1%	$36,041	$77,235
17	Winthrop University Rock Hill, SC · Public	2	79.3%	$15,343	$47,185
18	University of La Verne La Verne, CA · Nonprofit	2	71.2%	$20,161	$65,464
19	Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion Marion, IN · Nonprofit	2	88.9%	$22,866	$59,986
20	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH · Public	1	81%	$24,022	$47,896

View all colleges

Ranked by Philosophy and Religious Studies graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →

Plan Your Path

Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Philosophy and Religious Studies program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find schools that match your profile.

College ROI Calculator

See if a Philosophy and Religious Studies degree pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings its graduates actually see.

College Cost Calculator

Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.

Compare Colleges

Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.

College Match Quiz

Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.

Philosophy and Religious Studies Degree: Pros & Cons

Philosophy and Religious Studies carries financial trade-offs prospective students should weigh carefully. The 1 strengths and 4 concerns below are drawn from College Scorecard earnings, BLS job growth data, and IPEDS completion counts.

PROS

Strong salary growth Median earnings climb from $28,712 at graduation to $46,083 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.

CONS

Modest median earnings Four-year median of $46,083 lags STEM and business fields, affecting ROI at higher-cost programs.
Advanced degree often expected Top roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Slow job growth Top related careers project less than 3% growth over the next decade; limited expansion means more competition for new openings.
High earnings variance Gap between 25th ($31,399) and 75th ($63,159) percentile is wide. Where you land depends heavily on employer, role, and location.

Philosophy and Religious Studies Degree: Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Philosophy and Religious Studies graduates earn?

$46,083 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $31,399 and $63,159, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.

What is the starting salary for a Philosophy and Religious Studies degree?

$28,712 in the first year out. That grows to $46,083 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.

What jobs can you get with a Philosophy and Religious Studies degree?

Philosophy and Religion Teachers are one path, and it pays a median of $80,260 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.

How long does a Philosophy and Religious Studies program take?

Four years of full-time study for a Philosophy and Religious Studies bachelor's degree, the standard timeline for this field. If you want a faster route into the workforce, community colleges offer a two-year associate option instead.

How many colleges offer Philosophy and Religious Studies?

57 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.

Is a Philosophy and Religious Studies degree worth it?

$46,083 median earnings four years out against $20,482 a year in average net price. That is a slow payback, so cost matters more than usual here: a cheaper school changes the answer. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.

What is the difference between Philosophy and Religious Studies and Philosophy & Religion?

Philosophy and Religious Studies is the narrower of the two: Philosophy & Religion covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Philosophy and Religious Studies-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.

What skills do employers look for in Philosophy and Religious Studies graduates?

Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Philosophy and Religious Studies graduates consistently look for writing, critical analysis, and cross-cultural communication. Employers value the ability to synthesize complex information clearly, skills that transfer into communications, law, consulting, and content roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.