Philosophy at CUNY Brooklyn College

Brooklyn College philosophy graduates start at under $28,000—about $5,400 below New York's median for the major and in just the 25th percentile statewide. That's striking when you consider nearby CUNY campuses like Lehman and City College are placing their philosophy grads at $43,000 and $33,000 respectively. Even accounting for Brooklyn's high Pell grant population (56%), this gap suggests students might benefit from exploring philosophy programs at other CUNY schools if they're set on the major.

The positive here is Brooklyn College's exceptionally low debt load—$14,125 versus a state median of $23,124—which keeps the debt-to-earnings ratio manageable despite weak initial earnings. Graduates do see 12% earnings growth by year four, reaching $31,374, though this still trails most New York philosophy programs.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes these numbers less reliable than we'd like. But even with that caveat, the pattern is consistent: Brooklyn College philosophy majors face a tougher early career than peers across New York, offset partially by graduating with roughly $9,000 less debt. For families budget-conscious enough to prioritize minimal debt, this could work. For those who can access other CUNY options or have flexibility on major choice, the earnings gap matters more than the debt savings.