Philosophy at John Carroll University

The small sample size here demands serious caution, but the numbers are troubling enough to warrant attention: John Carroll's philosophy graduates earn less than half the national median for their field just one year out, placing this program in the bottom 10% both nationally and within Ohio. At $17,813, these early earnings fall well below even entry-level service jobs in many markets, while the $27,000 debt load exceeds what graduates earn in their entire first year.

Even accounting for philosophy's broader career trajectory—where many graduates pursue law school or graduate degrees that delay peak earnings—this performance gap is stark. Ohio State's philosophy graduates earn more than twice as much ($39,971), and even mid-tier Ohio programs like Wooster produce significantly stronger outcomes. The 1.52 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests financial stress from day one, though this calculation becomes less meaningful when the denominator is artificially suppressed by further education or temporary employment.

The crucial question is whether these graduates are strategically positioned for future success (graduate school acceptances, long-term career plans) or simply struggling to launch. With fewer than 30 graduates in the cohort, this could represent an unusual year rather than a program trend. Parents should request placement data directly from John Carroll—specifically, what percentage pursue graduate education versus entering the workforce—before drawing conclusions. If most graduates are continuing their education as planned, these first-year earnings may be misleading; if they're not, this represents a concerning investment at any price point.