Bachelor's+3% vs national median606 grads tracked
Philosophy at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Ranked 47th of 163 bachelor's programs in Philosophy by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$34,772
middle 50%: $24,360 – $51,052
Median · 5 years out
$58,009
middle 50%: $38,806 – $83,791
Median · 10 years out
$84,681
middle 50%: $58,307 – $129,881
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Philosophy (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Philosophy majors earn $35k in their first year of employment. Median earnings reach $58k after five years and $85k after ten years.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
7.3 yrs
≈ $8,966 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Iowa
$58,998 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Arlington
$58,858 · 5 yrs out
City College of New York - CUNY
$58,476 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
$58,275 · 5 yrs out
University of Georgia
$58,227 · 5 yrs out
Roanoke College
$58,065 · 5 yrs out
Elmhurst University
$57,867 · 5 yrs out
SUNY College at Brockport
$57,867 · 5 yrs out
Sacred Heart University
$57,619 · 5 yrs out
North Carolina State University
$57,619 · 5 yrs out
St. Catherine University
$57,471 · 5 yrs out
Loyola University Chicago
$57,372 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$227,440 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$191,060 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$179,858 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$176,530 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$153,901 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$153,036 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctorate)
$143,232 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$140,310 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$139,926 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$134,767 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$133,218 · 5 yrs out
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)
$127,595 · 5 yrs out