Best Philosophy Degrees in California by ROI
Colleges in California ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — calculated from median graduate earnings, total attendance cost, and average student debt. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs in California
13
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$217,333
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$30,152
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Grad rate: 66.5% |
-$23,888 | $45,340 | $22,672 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
San Francisco State University
Grad rate: 52.2% |
-$35,952 | $46,469 | $25,258 | $18,000 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
California State University-Northridge
Grad rate: 56.1% |
-$80,828 | $42,022 | $20,317 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
University of California-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 92.6% |
-$129,202 | $43,881 | $36,643 | $15,000 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
California State University-Long Beach
Grad rate: 71.3% |
-$136,369 | $40,545 | $20,310 | $19,281 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
University of California-Santa Barbara
Grad rate: 85.5% |
-$215,934 | $39,571 | $36,776 | $15,000 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
University of California-Irvine
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$228,525 | $39,398 | $36,121 | $23,705 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
California State University-Fullerton
Grad rate: 69.3% |
-$229,668 | $33,870 | $16,767 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
University of California-Davis
Grad rate: 85.7% |
-$282,268 | $36,391 | $38,067 | $13,200 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
California State University-Sacramento
Grad rate: 55.1% |
-$291,571 | $32,979 | $22,714 | $15,034 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
University of California-Riverside
Grad rate: 76.3% |
-$345,799 | $32,989 | $34,975 | $19,022 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
University of California-Berkeley
Grad rate: 93.5% |
-$374,053 | $32,816 | $42,708 | $14,475 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
University of California-Santa Cruz
Grad rate: 75.7% |
-$451,269 | $28,235 | $38,649 | $15,832 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost (annual cost × programme years) − Debt Payoff (avg debt × 1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20 = $840,000)
A positive ROI means a degree in this field pays off relative to entering the workforce without one. Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Philosophy Degrees by State
Browse Philosophy programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.