Best Philosophy Colleges in Texas (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 9 Philosophy programs in Texas by the median earnings of Philosophy graduates four years after completing, highest first. The University of Texas at Austin leads the list, and across the 6 schools with a reported completion median, median earnings range from $55,875 to $16,478, with a median of $43,454.
For 2 of the 9 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
78% of the listed schools are public, with 7 public and 2 private institutions represented. The University of Texas at Austin ranks 9th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally, and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley posts the lowest average net price at $4,831.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Philosophy Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX | $66,121 | $19,857 | $12,553 | 26.6% |
| The University of Texas at Austin admits 27% of applicants and posts a six-year completion rate of 89%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Philosophy (51 graduates), Religion/Religious Studies (10 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Philosophy ($71,790) | |||||
| 2 | University of Houston · Houston, TX | $55,875 | $14,276 | $10,929 | 73.9% |
| University of Houston reports median earnings of $55,875 for its Philosophy graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Philosophy (28 graduates), Religion/Religious Studies (8 graduates) | |||||
| 3 | Texas A&M University-College Station · College Station, TX | $54,822 | $21,315 | $12,784 | 57.4% |
| Texas A&M University-College Station graduates earn a median of $54,822 four years after completing, and the school's six-year completion rate stands at 84%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Philosophy (39 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Philosophy ($54,822) | |||||
| 4 | Baylor University · Waco, TX | $54,261 | $41,104 | $22,024 | 51.3% |
| A private nonprofit university in Waco, Baylor University has an average net price of $41,104 and an admission rate of 51%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Philosophy (27 graduates), Religion/Religious Studies (26 graduates) | |||||
| 5 | Texas State University · San Marcos, TX | $50,768 | $16,805 | $12,715 | 89.3% |
| Texas State University ranks 5th on this list, with median earnings of $50,768 for its Philosophy graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Philosophy (17 graduates) | |||||
| 6 | Southern Methodist University · Dallas, TX | $42,334 | $40,892 | $23,544 | 63.4% |
| Southern Methodist University shows a six-year completion rate of 84% and an average net price of $40,892. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Philosophy (25 graduates) | |||||
| 7 | University of North Texas · Denton, TX | $36,141 | $15,649 | $12,311 | 72.2% |
| University of North Texas reports median earnings of $36,141 for its Philosophy graduates two years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 72%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Philosophy (20 graduates) | |||||
| 8 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · Edinburg, TX | $33,457 | $4,831 | $3,785 | 94.2% |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley carries an average net price of $4,831, the lowest on the page, and admits 94% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Philosophy (26 graduates) | |||||
| 9 | University of Houston-Downtown · Houston, TX | $16,478 | $10,542 | $9,439 | 90.0% |
| University of Houston-Downtown ranks 9th on this list and reports median earnings of $16,478 for its Philosophy graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Philosophy (13 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Philosophy graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The figures cover federally aided Philosophy graduates who were working and not enrolled after completing. For 2 of the 9 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The figures cited on this page cover the 6 schools with a reported completion median. The spread from The University of Texas at Austin to the lowest listed program is $39,397.
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