Tennessee · Philosophy

Best colleges for Philosophy in Tennessee

Ranked by graduates a year

Johnson University, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville and Vanderbilt University award the most Philosophy degrees and certificates in Tennessee: 27, 21 and 12 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 14 Tennessee colleges offer Philosophy and award 116 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
14
offering CIP 38.01
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
116
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
—
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Median net price
$20,489
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
63%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Mathematicians
—
BLS OEWS May 2025

14 institutions offering Philosophy in Tennessee

Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.

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
1Johnson University
Knoxville Private not-for-profit
—2757%$19,333—
2The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville Public
—2174%—$25,000
3Vanderbilt University
Nashville Private not-for-profit
—1294%$14,854—
4University of Memphis
Memphis Public
—1151%—$27,000
5Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro Public
—854%——
6Lipscomb University
Nashville Private not-for-profit
—672%$24,309—
7East Tennessee State University
Johnson City Public
—653%——
8Rhodes College
Memphis Private not-for-profit
—685%$19,854—
9Belmont University
Nashville Private not-for-profit
—571%$29,246—
10The University of the South
Sewanee Private not-for-profit
—580%$21,573—
11Austin Peay State University
Clarksville Public
—340%——
12The University of Tennessee-Martin
Martin Public
—353%——
13Carson-Newman University
Jefferson City Private not-for-profit
—253%$19,537—
14Maryville College
Maryville Private not-for-profit
—150%$20,489—

Colleges awarding the most Philosophy degrees in Tennessee

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). 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)
1Johnson University
Knoxville Private not-for-profit
27Not reported
2The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville Public
21Not reported
3Vanderbilt University
Nashville Private not-for-profit
12Not reported
4University of Memphis
Memphis Public
11Not reported
5Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro Public
8Not reported
6Lipscomb University
Nashville Private not-for-profit
6Not reported
7East Tennessee State University
Johnson City Public
6Not reported
8Rhodes College
Memphis Private not-for-profit
6Not reported
9Belmont University
Nashville Private not-for-profit
5Not reported
10The University of the South
Sewanee Private not-for-profit
5Not reported
Show the other 4 Tennessee colleges offering Philosophy
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Austin Peay State UniversityClarksvillePublic3
The University of Tennessee-MartinMartinPublic3
Carson-Newman UniversityJefferson CityPrivate not-for-profit2
Maryville CollegeMaryvillePrivate not-for-profit1

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 Tennessee

Jobs in Tennessee
—
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
—
annual
Best-paying metro
—

Related careers

Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary
$86,050 avg · 870 jobs
Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary
$80,400 avg · 490 jobs
Mathematicians
—

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Philosophy programs in Tennessee.

Which Tennessee colleges award the most Philosophy degrees?+

Johnson University (27 graduates a year), The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (21 graduates a year) and Vanderbilt University (12 graduates a year) award the most Philosophy degrees and certificates in Tennessee, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 14 Tennessee colleges offer Philosophy.

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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