Philosophy at Texas State University

Texas State's philosophy program starts graduates at just under $28,000—significantly below both the state median ($33,644) and national average ($31,652). More concerning, it ranks in the 25th percentile among Texas philosophy programs, meaning three-quarters of comparable programs in the state deliver better initial earnings. Your child would be earning about $8,000 less per year than philosophy graduates from UT Austin or UNT.

The debt picture looks more manageable at $26,000, which is actually lower than the national median. Combined with that first-year salary, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.93 is reasonable for humanities. There's also notable earnings growth—32% by year four—which brings graduates closer to competitive levels, though still trailing peers from stronger programs.

The critical caveat here is sample size: fewer than 30 graduates reported data, so these numbers could swing considerably with a different cohort. If your child is set on philosophy at a Texas public university, UT Austin or UNT offer substantially stronger earnings outcomes for similar or lower debt. Texas State's broader accessibility (89% admission rate, lower average test scores) may appeal to some families, but the financial data suggests this particular program underperforms its in-state alternatives.