North Carolina · Philosophy

Best colleges for Philosophy in North Carolina

Ranked by graduate earnings

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Greensboro and University of North Carolina at Charlotte award the most Philosophy degrees in North Carolina: 37, 27 and 16 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 16 North Carolina colleges offer Philosophy and award 180 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Philosophy program offers a systematic study of fundamental questions related to existence, knowledge, mind, reason, language, and value. It is designed for students interested in engaging in rational and critical inquiry, reflecting…

Institutions
16
offering CIP 38.01
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
180
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$29,251
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
3
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,259
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
71%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Mathematicians
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BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 3 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill Public · Bachelor's degree
$34,2843791%—$15,408
2University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro Public · Bachelor's degree
$20,2872756%—$22,527
3University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$29,2511669%—$25,000

Colleges awarding the most Philosophy degrees in North Carolina

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill Public
37$34,284
2University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro Public
27$20,287
3University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte Public
16$29,251
4North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh Public
16Not reported
5Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem Private not-for-profit
15Not reported
6Appalachian State University
Boone Public
14Not reported
7Western Carolina University
Cullowhee Public
12Not reported
8Duke University
Durham Private not-for-profit
11Not reported
9Davidson College
Davidson Private not-for-profit
6Not reported
10Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Wake Forest Private not-for-profit
6Not reported
Show the other 6 North Carolina colleges offering Philosophy
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Warren Wilson CollegeSwannanoaPrivate not-for-profit5
East Carolina UniversityGreenvillePublic4
High Point UniversityHigh PointPrivate not-for-profit4
Elon UniversityElonPrivate not-for-profit3
Belmont Abbey CollegeBelmontPrivate not-for-profit2
University of North Carolina AshevilleAshevillePublic2

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Mathematicians (SOC 15-2021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
-0.7%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$121,680
typically Master's degree

Top skills

MathematicsCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive LearningScienceWriting

What Mathematicians earn in North Carolina

Jobs in North Carolina
—
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
—
annual
Best-paying metro
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Related careers

Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary
$80,600 avg · 1,870 jobs
Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary
$85,690 avg · 680 jobs
Mathematicians
—

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Philosophy programs in North Carolina.

Which North Carolina colleges award the most Philosophy degrees?+

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (37 graduates a year), University of North Carolina at Greensboro (27 graduates a year) and University of North Carolina at Charlotte (16 graduates a year) award the most Philosophy degrees in North Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 16 North Carolina colleges offer Philosophy.

Which Philosophy program in North Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tops the list at $34,284. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

What is the focus of the Philosophy program?+

The Philosophy program offers a systematic study of fundamental questions related to existence, knowledge, mind, reason, language, and value. It is designed for students interested in engaging in rational and critical inquiry, reflecting…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop mathematics, critical thinking, reading comprehension, active learning, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Mathematicians?+

The national job outlook is about -0.7% growth with around 100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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