Philosophy at State University of New York at Buffalo
NY · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 38.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Philosophy degree from State University of New York at Buffalo earn a median salary of $53,219 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $40,317. The degree typically pays for itself in 10 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$38,623
Typical Career
$53,219
Top Performers
$75,035
Estimated break-even: 10 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$355
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,435. Most students can comfortably afford about a $355 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$40,317
Nominal: $53,219 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% lower purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $24,108 | $33,691 | $45,225 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $38,623 | $53,219 | $75,035 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $49,399 | $73,190 | $98,849 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $53,219 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $53,219 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200)
= $40,317 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for Philosophy graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (18.6%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (17.5%), and Educational Services (10.4%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately ten years, suggesting that while the degree can lead to meaningful employment, the return on investment may take time to materialize. Students should weigh these factors carefully when considering the long-term financial implications of pursuing a Philosophy degree.
AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.
Compare with Another School
See how the Philosophy degree at State University of New York at Buffalo stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.
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