Philosophy at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

UW-Stevens Point's philosophy program lands right at the national median for earnings but trails most Wisconsin philosophy programs—ranking in just the 40th percentile statewide at $31,662 first-year earnings. When UW-Madison philosophy grads earn $35,975 and the state median sits at $34,666, that $3,000-4,000 gap matters, especially for a relatively affordable UW System school where you'd expect competitive outcomes.

The debt picture offers some relief: $23,380 is manageable and below both state and national medians, resulting in a debt-to-earnings ratio under 0.75. For a liberal arts degree, these aren't alarming numbers. But here's the catch—this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, making it statistically unreliable. Philosophy is a small major everywhere, but this sample size means one or two students' outcomes could swing these numbers significantly in either direction.

If your child is passionate about philosophy and committed to the UW System, this isn't a terrible choice financially. However, given the limited data and the fact that Madison and Milwaukee show stronger earning patterns for roughly similar debt loads, you'd want compelling reasons—like specific professors, campus fit, or scholarship money—to choose Stevens Point over those alternatives. Philosophy majors often pursue graduate school or pivot careers anyway, so initial earnings tell only part of the story.