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Philosophy at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC · Public · Bachelor's Degree
42 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
42
Optimistic
42
Base Case
36
Pessimistic
Earnings $34,284/yr (6% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (64% exposed)
Job Market Medium (15,000 openings/yr)
ROI 16.2x earnings multiple (3.7x out-of-state)
Ranked #5 of 77 Philosophy programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Philosophy graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $597K $581K $520K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 16.6x 16.2x 14.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.8x 3.7x 3.3x
Probability of Field Employment 51% 44% 29%
DegreeOutlook Score 42 42 36

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$35,956
Out-of-state: $157,320 (3.7x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$51,932
-44% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$14,618
5.1 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$59,952
75% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Philosophy graduates start at $34,284/yr — above the $32,297 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The 16.2x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 64% task exposure — and the 13% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $14,618 in median debt clears quickly against $34,284 in annual earnings.

A #5 ranking out of 77 Philosophy programs nationally puts University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.

Earnings growth from $34,284 to $59,952 over five years (75% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Admission to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is competitive, with 19% of applicants accepted, serving a student body of 20,556 in Chapel Hill, NC.

See all programs and financial aid at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill →

Top Career Paths

Natural sciences managers $161,180/yr
Mathematicians $121,680/yr
Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary $79,350/yr
View all 4 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 77 schools offering Philosophy →

Philosophy at Other Schools

University of Pennsylvania ($73,053) Columbia University in the City of New York ($52,668) Boston College ($47,345) Utah Valley University ($43,699) CUNY Lehman College ($43,311) Southern Methodist University ($42,334) University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($42,072) University of Washington-Bothell Campus ($42,072)

Other Majors at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Computer Science ($90,293) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($85,618) Information Science/Studies ($75,834) Applied Mathematics ($75,105) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($71,594) Biomedical/Medical Engineering ($70,561) Economics ($65,344) Physics ($62,647)

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Philosophy program score?
This program scores 42/100 — on the lower end for Philosophy. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Philosophy to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Philosophy careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 64% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →