Philosophy at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The first-year earnings of $21,824 for UIUC's philosophy program look alarming at first glance—landing in just the 12th percentile nationally—but this data comes with a critical caveat: the sample size is under 30 graduates. With philosophy majors commonly pursuing graduate school, law school, or initially working in lower-paying positions before career transitions, a small sample can dramatically skew the numbers. What's more telling is the 97% earnings jump to $42,942 by year four, suggesting many graduates do find their footing, though that trajectory still trails the national median.

Within Illinois, this program performs near the middle of the pack (40th percentile), essentially matching the state median of $22,522 for first-year philosophy earnings. The $18,750 debt load is actually lower than both state and national medians, making the financial risk more manageable than the earnings percentile alone suggests. However, parents should recognize they're paying for a UIUC credential that, at least in this field, doesn't appear to deliver the employment premium the school's strong reputation (44% admission rate, 1418 average SAT) might suggest.

The small sample means these numbers could look very different next year, but based on current data, families should view this as a high-uncertainty investment where individual student plans—especially graduate school intentions—matter far more than the bachelor's degree outcomes alone.