Philosophy at Temple University

Temple's philosophy program starts graduates at $28,648—below both the Pennsylvania median ($32,513) and the national average for philosophy majors. Among the 61 Pennsylvania schools offering this degree, Temple ranks near the 40th percentile, meaning roughly 60% of comparable programs deliver stronger starting outcomes. That first-year figure matters because even the substantial 63% earnings jump to $46,706 by year four still lags behind what Penn philosophy graduates earn right out of the gate.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $25,000, it's slightly below the Pennsylvania median and well below the national 75th percentile. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.87, graduates should theoretically repay within a year of starting earnings. The real question is whether that starting salary provides enough cushion for living expenses in Philadelphia while making loan payments.

One critical caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual circumstances can dramatically skew these numbers. For a Temple student genuinely passionate about philosophy, this might work as preparation for graduate school rather than immediate career entry. But if your child needs their bachelor's degree to launch a career, Temple's philosophy program underperforms compared to other in-state options—and the small sample size means you're working with limited information about typical outcomes.