IPEDS 2023 completions · bachelor's degrees · 186 colleges

Colleges that graduate the most philosophy and religious studies majors

186 of the 1,082 colleges CollegeCalcAI tracks awarded at least 10 bachelor's degrees in philosophy and religious studies in 2023, 4,984 degrees in all, 0.3% of every bachelor's degree those colleges granted. Liberty University graduated the most (512), and the ten largest programs account for 27% of the field's graduates at tracked colleges. Nationally the field is 0.54% of bachelor's degrees across 2,440 institutions, so it is under-represented at the four-year colleges here. 43% of these graduates were women.

Colleges

186

awarding 10+ degrees

Degrees awarded

4,984

2023, bachelor's

Share of all degrees

0.3%

0.54% nationally

Median acceptance rate

58%

colleges in this field

Women

43%

of graduates

Your odds at any of these colleges, with English / Humanities as the intended major, take about a minute.

Check my chances free →

Largest philosophy and religious studies programs

The 50 largest philosophy and religious studies programs by bachelor's degrees awarded in 2023. Click a college for its philosophy and religious studies page: share of campus, rank among its majors, gender split, and the admissions bar.

#	College	Degrees (2023)	Share of grads	Acceptance rate	SAT 75th
1	Liberty University · VA	512	4.8%	99%	1200
2	University of Pennsylvania · PA	179	6.3%	5%	1560
3	UCLA · CA	104	1.1%	9%	1510
4	UC Santa Barbara · CA	100	1.6%	33%	1430
5	University of California, Berkeley · CA	87	0.9%	11%	1530
6	University of Southern California · CA	77	1.3%	10%	1530
7	University of Washington · WA	75	0.9%	39%	1450
8	University of Maryland · MD	70	0.9%	45%	1470
9	Virginia Tech · VA	69	0.9%	55%	1370
10	Boston University · MA	59	1.3%	11%	1500
11	University of Colorado · CO	53	0.8%	78%	1340
12	Columbia University · NY	52	2.1%	4%	1560
13	UC Davis · CA	52	0.6%	42%	1380
14	University of Texas at Austin · TX	52	0.5%	27%	1460
15	New York University · NY	52	0.7%	9%	1530
16	Arizona State University · AZ	51	0.3%	90%	1310
17	University of Florida · FL	47	0.5%	24%	1440
18	University of Georgia · GA	41	0.5%	38%	1430
19	University of St. Thomas · MN	41	2.9%	85%	1280
20	Baylor University · TX	40	1.1%	51%	1370
21	UC Irvine · CA	39	0.5%	29%	1420
22	University of Wisconsin · WI	39	0.5%	45%	1440
23	Emory University · GA	39	1.9%	11%	1520
24	UC Santa Cruz · CA	39	0.8%	66%	1180
25	University of Central Florida · FL	38	0.3%	40%	1350
26	University of Michigan · MI	37	0.4%	16%	1520
27	Penn State University · PA	36	0.3%	55%	1370
28	Anderson University (SC) · SC	36	5.5%	55%	1150
29	Franciscan University of Steubenville · OH	33	6%	58%	1270
30	Boston College · MA	32	1.3%	16%	1520
31	University of Virginia · VA	32	0.7%	17%	1510
32	Florida State University · FL	31	0.3%	24%	1380
33	Cal Poly San Luis Obispo · CA	30	0.6%	31%	1420
34	UC Riverside · CA	30	0.6%	76%	1300
35	University of Pittsburgh · PA	30	0.6%	58%	1400
36	Catholic University · DC	30	5%	83%	1230
37	Brown University · RI	29	1.5%	5%	1560
38	UNC Greensboro · NC	29	0.9%	89%	1130
39	University of Houston · TX	29	0.4%	74%	1310
40	University of Chicago · IL	29	1.5%	4%	1570
41	Dartmouth College · NH	28	2.2%	5%	1560
42	Georgia State University · GA	28	0.5%	55%	1200
43	Princeton University · NJ	28	2.1%	5%	1570
44	Tulane University · LA	28	1.4%	14%	1500
45	Cal State Long Beach · CA	27	0.3%	46%	1280
46	New Mexico State University · NM	27	1.1%	89%	1150
47	Southern Methodist University · TX	27	1.4%	63%	1440
48	University of Arizona · AZ	27	0.4%	86%	1300
49	UC Colorado Springs · CO	27	1.4%	97%	1120
50	Colgate University · NY	26	3.6%	14%	1460

136 more colleges award 10 or more degrees in this field: every one is listed further down this page, and in the CSV download.

Most concentrated in philosophy and religious studies

Where philosophy and religious studies is the biggest part of campus: share of all graduates, among colleges awarding at least 50 degrees in the field.

#	College	Degrees (2023)	Share of grads	Acceptance rate	SAT 75th
1	University of Pennsylvania · PA	179	6.3%	5%	1560
2	Liberty University · VA	512	4.8%	99%	1200
3	Columbia University · NY	52	2.1%	4%	1560
4	UC Santa Barbara · CA	100	1.6%	33%	1430
5	Boston University · MA	59	1.3%	11%	1500
6	University of Southern California · CA	77	1.3%	10%	1530
7	UCLA · CA	104	1.1%	9%	1510
8	University of California, Berkeley · CA	87	0.9%	11%	1530
9	University of Maryland · MD	70	0.9%	45%	1470
10	University of Washington · WA	75	0.9%	39%	1450
11	Virginia Tech · VA	69	0.9%	55%	1370
12	University of Colorado · CO	53	0.8%	78%	1340
13	New York University · NY	52	0.7%	9%	1530
14	UC Davis · CA	52	0.6%	42%	1380
15	University of Texas at Austin · TX	52	0.5%	27%	1460
16	Arizona State University · AZ	51	0.3%	90%	1310

How to get in for philosophy and religious studies

What readers look for from applicants who declare this field, at any selectivity.

Colleges publish one acceptance rate for the whole school, not per major, so there is no official admit rate for philosophy and religious studies. The median acceptance rate among the 186 colleges awarding it is 58%; the most selective (Columbia University, 4%) and the most accessible (Liberty University, 99%) both graduate substantial numbers in the field. CollegeCalcAI's calculator applies a published per-major adjustment for "English / Humanities" on top of each school's own rate, so your estimate reflects the major you declare.

The most rigorous courses your school offers in the subjects closest to this field
A sustained activity connected to the field, with a role you can describe concretely
An essay that explains why this field, specifically, at this school
Run your odds with the major set: your estimate for philosophy and religious studies →

Most selective colleges for philosophy and religious studies

Lowest acceptance rates among colleges awarding at least 25 philosophy and religious studies degrees.

#	College	Degrees (2023)	Share of grads	Acceptance rate	SAT 75th
1	Columbia University · NY	52	2.1%	4%	1560
2	Stanford University · CA	26	1.4%	4%	1570
3	University of Chicago · IL	29	1.5%	4%	1570
4	Brown University · RI	29	1.5%	5%	1560
5	Dartmouth College · NH	28	2.2%	5%	1560
6	Princeton University · NJ	28	2.1%	5%	1570
7	University of Pennsylvania · PA	179	6.3%	5%	1560
8	UCLA · CA	104	1.1%	9%	1510
9	New York University · NY	52	0.7%	9%	1530
10	University of Southern California · CA	77	1.3%	10%	1530
11	Boston University · MA	59	1.3%	11%	1500
12	University of California, Berkeley · CA	87	0.9%	11%	1530
13	Emory University · GA	39	1.9%	11%	1520
14	Colgate University · NY	26	3.6%	14%	1460
15	Tulane University · LA	28	1.4%	14%	1500

Most accessible colleges for philosophy and religious studies

Colleges admitting 60% or more of applicants that still award at least 50 philosophy and religious studies degrees a year.

#	College	Degrees (2023)	Share of grads	Acceptance rate	SAT 75th
1	Liberty University · VA	512	4.8%	99%	1200
2	Arizona State University · AZ	51	0.3%	90%	1310
3	University of Colorado · CO	53	0.8%	78%	1340

Philosophy and Religious Studies by state

States with the most philosophy and religious studies graduates at tracked colleges.

State	Colleges	Degrees (2023)	Share of field
California	30	939	19%
Virginia	7	695	14%
Pennsylvania	7	316	6%
New York	13	285	6%
Texas	13	278	6%
Massachusetts	10	212	4%
Florida	9	211	4%
North Carolina	7	142	3%
Georgia	5	135	3%
Illinois	6	120	2%
Washington	3	115	2%
Colorado	4	112	2%

Every college for philosophy and religious studies

All 186 colleges awarding 10 or more bachelor's degrees in philosophy and religious studies in 2023, alphabetically. Each link opens that college's philosophy and religious studies page.

Anderson University (SC) 36
Appalachian State University 20
Arizona State University 51
Ave Maria University 16
Baruch College 13
Bates College 16
Baylor University 40
Binghamton University 10
Boston College 32
Boston University 59
Brandeis University 12
Brigham Young University 22
Brooklyn College 19
Brown University 29
Cal Poly Pomona 10
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 30
Cal State Chico 14
Cal State Fullerton 24
Cal State Long Beach 27
Cal State Los Angeles 13
Cal State Northridge 24
California Baptist University 20
Carleton College 14
Carnegie Mellon University 13
Catholic University 30
Chapman University 19
Clemson University 22
Colgate University 26
Colorado College 16
Colorado State University 16
Columbia University 52
Cornell University 20
CUNY Staten Island 11
Dartmouth College 28
Davidson College 12
DePaul University 21
Eastern Washington University 15
Emory University 39
Florida Gulf Coast University 10
Florida International University 24
Florida State University 31
Fordham University 18
Franciscan University of Steubenville 33
Fresno State University 24
George Washington University 13
Georgetown University 15
Georgia Southern University 17
Georgia State University 28
Grove City College 21
Hamilton College 18
Harvard University 22
Hillsdale College 20
Hope College 15
Howard University 11
Indiana University 19
Iowa State University 10
James Madison University 21
Lewis & Clark College 10
Liberty University 512
Louisiana State University 23
Loyola Marymount University 14
Loyola University Chicago 22
Loyola University New Orleans 10
Mary University 18
Middle Tennessee State University 15
Middlebury College 17
Missouri-St. Louis 12
Morehouse College 10
NC State University 25
New Mexico State University 27
New York University 52
Northeastern University 11
Northwestern University 10
Oberlin College 15
Occidental College 11
Ohio State University 24
Oregon State University 12
Penn State University 36
Pepperdine University 14
Pomona College 12
Portland State University 15
Princeton University 28
Purdue University 22
Rice University 11
Rutgers University 25
Sacramento State University 11
Saint Leo University 11
Saint Louis University 12
Salisbury University 12
San Diego State University 24
San Francisco State University 16
San Jose State University 23
Santa Clara University 18
Skidmore College 15
Smith College 11
Southern Methodist University 27
St. Olaf College 15
Stanford University 26
Swarthmore College 18
Syracuse University 13
Temple University 19
Texas A&M University 16
Texas State University 20
Texas Tech University 12
Towson University 12
Tufts University 21
Tulane University 28
UC Colorado Springs 27
UC Davis 52
UC Irvine 39
UC Riverside 30
UC San Diego 19
UC Santa Barbara 100
UC Santa Cruz 39
UCLA 104
UNC Charlotte 21
UNC Greensboro 29
University of Alabama 14
University of Alabama at Birmingham 11
University of Arizona 27
University of California, Berkeley 87
University of Central Arkansas 11
University of Central Florida 38
University of Chicago 29
University of Colorado 53
University of Connecticut 10
University of Dayton 19
University of Florida 47
University of Georgia 41
University of Hawaiʻi 12
University of Houston 29
University of Illinois 21
University of Iowa 14
University of Kansas 13
University of Maryland 70
University of Massachusetts Amherst 21
University of Michigan 37
University of Minnesota 26
University of Missouri 20
University of Montana 10
University of Nevada, Las Vegas 24
University of Nevada, Reno 15
University of New Mexico 16
University of North Carolina 22
University of North Florida 12
University of North Texas 16
University of Notre Dame 18
University of Oklahoma 14
University of Oregon 23
University of Pennsylvania 179
University of Pittsburgh 30
University of Rhode Island 10
University of Rochester 18
University of South Carolina 12
University of South Florida 22
University of Southern California 77
University of St. Thomas 41
University of Tennessee 17
University of Texas at Arlington 15
University of Texas at Austin 52
University of Texas at San Antonio 10
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 17
University of Utah 20
University of Vermont 18
University of Virginia 32
University of Washington 75
University of Wisconsin 39
University of Wyoming 13
Utah State University 20
Utah Valley University 15
Vanguard University 18
Virginia Commonwealth University 25
Virginia Tech 69
Wabash College 16
Wake Forest University 13
Washington and Lee University 11
Washington University in St. Louis 12
Wayland Baptist University 13
Wayne State University (MI) 12
Wellesley College 13
Wesleyan University 19
Western Washington University 25
Wheaton College (IL) 17
William & Mary 25
Williams College 10
Yale University 20

Cite this page

CollegeCalcAI. "Colleges that graduate the most philosophy and religious studies majors." 2026. https://collegecalcai.com/majors/philosophy-religion

Free to cite and reuse with attribution and a link.

Embed this stat

4,984philosophy and religious studies bachelor's degrees awarded in 2023 across 186 U.S. collegesSource: CollegeCalcAI

<a href="https://collegecalcai.com/majors/philosophy-religion?utm_source=embed&utm_medium=statcard" style="display:inline-block;padding:16px 20px;border:1px solid #E5E9F0;border-radius:14px;text-decoration:none;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif;background:#fff">4,984philosophy and religious studies bachelor's degrees awarded in 2023 across 186 U.S. collegesSource: CollegeCalcAI</a>

Questions about philosophy and religious studies colleges

Which colleges graduate the most philosophy and religious studies majors?

By bachelor's degrees awarded in 2023, the largest programs among tracked colleges are Liberty University (512), University of Pennsylvania (179), UCLA (104), UC Santa Barbara (100), University of California, Berkeley (87). The full ranking of 186 colleges is on this page, with each school's share of graduates and acceptance rate.

How many students major in philosophy and religious studies?

4,984 students earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy and religious studies at the 186 tracked colleges in 2023, 0.3% of all bachelor's degrees at those schools. Across all 2,440 U.S. institutions reporting to IPEDS, the field is 0.54% of bachelor's degrees.

Is philosophy and religious studies a competitive major?

What share of philosophy and religious studies graduates are women?

43% of philosophy and religious studies bachelor's graduates at tracked colleges were women in 2023 (degree-weighted across 186 colleges, IPEDS completions by sex).

Where is philosophy and religious studies the biggest part of campus?

Measured as a share of all graduates, philosophy and religious studies is most concentrated at University of Pennsylvania (6.3% of graduates), Liberty University (4.8% of graduates), Columbia University (2.1% of graduates), among colleges awarding at least 50 degrees in the field.

Other fields

Every field with its own hub, ranked by degrees awarded.

Business, Management and Marketing · 288,974 Health Professions and Related Programs · 159,095 Biological and Biomedical Sciences · 116,148 Psychology · 115,728 Social Sciences · 109,093 Engineering · 107,842 Computer and Information Sciences · 90,607 Education · 70,593 Visual and Performing Arts · 69,142 Communication and Journalism · 68,326 Parks, Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies · 46,451 Multi and Interdisciplinary Studies · 44,065 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement and Firefighting · 37,728 Liberal Arts and General Studies · 29,746 All fields →

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 Completions (bachelor's degrees, first majors, CIP 2-digit series), joined to CollegeCalcAI's admissions dataset. Built 2026-09-19. Download: CSV of every college in this field. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are not predictions or guarantees.