Philosophy at New York University

NYU's philosophy program earns significantly more than most philosophy programs nationally—landing in the 88th percentile—but that $40,359 first-year salary still translates to about $3,360 per month before taxes. Within New York's competitive landscape, however, this middle-of-the-pack performance (60th percentile) becomes more worrying. Columbia philosophy graduates earn 30% more, and even CUNY Lehman—with far lower tuition—produces graduates making $43,000.

The debt load of $24,128 is reasonable by philosophy standards, giving this program a manageable 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio. For an elite institution with a 9% acceptance rate, NYU manages to avoid crushing its humanities students with debt. But here's the concern: the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could swing substantially year to year, and it's unclear whether the premium you're paying for NYU's brand delivers meaningful career advantages in philosophy specifically.

If your child is dead-set on philosophy at a prestigious institution, NYU won't bury them in unmanageable debt. But you're paying elite-school prices for outcomes that other New York schools—including public options—match or exceed. Unless there are specific faculty or research opportunities at NYU that matter for your child's goals, this represents a substantial premium for modest returns.