OVERALL RANKINGS
This year’s overall rankings are based on reputational surveys completed by 192 philosophers throughout the English-speaking world and Continental Europe; 239 philosophers participated in either the overall or specialty rankings, often both.
Evaluators included some 21 Fellows of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the British Academy and/or the Royal Society of Canada, among other learned societies, as well as leading senior and junior philosophers in every area of philosophy. In the overall rankings, evaluators were asked to evaluate randomly ordered faculty lists that did not include the university’s name. They were giving the following prompt:
Please rate the overall quality of the graduate program’s faculty.
Evaluators were given a drop-down menu to select their rating from the following scale:
The evaluators could move forwards and backwards in the survey, but there was no ability for those taking the survey to compare their ratings from faculty list to faculty list at the end. A full description of the methodology of the survey is explained in the description of the report section of the report.
Because evaluators do not have reliable access to information about the quality of graduate teaching and mentoring for most departments, this was not a component of the evaluation. As always, students are advised to talk to current students before enrolling at any program.
The rank of each department is based on the “overall” mean. We have included the median, mode(s), confidence intervals, and results from past surveys (2021, 2017, 2014, 2011 & 2009) in adjacent columns.
All programs in the top 50 in the U.S., the top 15 in the U.K., and the top 5 in Canada and Australasia from the prior survey were included in this year’s survey. Based on this and past year results, we have reason to think that no program not included in the survey would have ranked ahead of these programs. Other programs evaluated this year are listed unranked afterwards; there may well have been programs not surveyed this year that could have fared as well.
Ranking Of Faculties In The United States
| RANK | INSTITUTIONS | Mean | Median | Mode | Upper CI | Lower CI | Region | Rank in 2021 | Rank in 2017 | Rank in 2014 | Rank in 2011 | Rank in 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.7 | USA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Rutgers University, New Brunswick | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.5 | USA | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Princeton University | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.3 | USA | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 4 | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.1 | USA | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Yale University | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.1 | USA | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 8 | |
| 6 | University of California, Berkeley | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.0 | USA | 7 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 9 |
| University of Southern California | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.0 | USA | 7 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 17 | |
| 8 | University of Pittsburgh | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | USA | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| University of Texas, Austin | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | USA | 17 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 20 | |
| 10 | Harvard University | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 | USA | 7 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 | USA | 7 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 6 | |
| University of California, Los Angeles | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 | USA | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | |
| 13 | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.7 | USA | 12 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 |
| 14 | Stanford University | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.6 | USA | 12 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| University of Notre Dame | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.6 | USA | 12 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 15 | |
| 16 | City University of New York Graduate Center | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.5 | USA | 12 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 15 |
| Cornell University | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.5 | USA | 19 | 25 | 17 | 14 | 17 | |
| Johns Hopkins University | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.5 | USA | 31 | 40 | 40 | 37 | 43 | |
| University of California, San Diego | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.5 | USA | 19 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 21 | |
| University of Chicago | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.4 | USA | 19 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | |
| 21 | Columbia University | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.5 | USA | 12 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 |
| University of California, Irvine | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | USA | 24 | 21 | 24 | 29 | 23 | |
| 23 | Brown University | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.3 | USA | 18 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 17 |
| 24 | University of Wisconsin, Madison | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.1 | USA | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 25 | Ohio State University | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.0 | USA | 25 | 28 | 28 | 24 | 26 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.0 | USA | 27 | 27 | 31 | 29 | 30 | |
| 27 | University of Arizona | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | 22 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
| University of California, Riverside | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | 27 | 32 | 28 | 31 | 30 | |
| University of Colorado, Boulder | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | 27 | 28 | 31 | 24 | 26 | |
| University of Massachusetts, Amherst | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | 27 | 28 | 28 | 24 | 26 | |
| Washington University, St. Louis | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | 25 | 21 | 24 | 31 | 30 | |
| 32 | Duke University | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 | USA | 33 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 26 |
| University of Maryland, College Park | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 | USA | 38 | 40 | 31 | 31 | 30 | |
| University of Virginia | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 | USA | 33 | 32 | 31 | 37 | 36 | |
| 35 | Carnegie Mellon University | 2.8 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.6 | USA | 40 | 35 | 40 | 40 | 36 |
| Georgetown University | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.7 | USA | 31 | 35 | 37 | 36 | 36 | |
| Northwestern University | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 | USA | 38 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 41 | |
| University of Connecticut, Storrs | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.6 | USA | 33 | 35 | 37 | 50 | 43 | |
| 39 | Indiana University, Bloomington* | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.6 | USA | 33 | 28 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
| University of Miami | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.6 | USA | 33 | 35 | 31 | 31 | 34 | |
| 41 | Boston University | 2.6 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.5 | USA | 40 | 44 | not top 50 | 44 | 48 |
| Florida State University | 2.6 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.5 | USA | 44 | 44 | 45 | 44 | 43 | |
| 43 | Purdue University | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.3 | USA | not top 50 | ||||
| Rice University | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.4 | USA | 44 | not top 50 | 47 | 44 | 48 | |
| Syracuse University | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.4 | USA | 40 | 35 | 37 | 37 | 34 | |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.4 | USA | 40 | 44 | 42 | 40 | 41 | |
| University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-St. Paul | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.3 | USA | 46 | 44 | 47 | 44 | 47 | |
| University of Utah | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 2.3 | USA | 46 | not top 50 | not top 50 | not top 50 | 48 | |
| 49 | University of Illinois, Chicago | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.3 | USA | 46 | 43 | 42 | 40 | 36 |
| University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | USA | n/a | |||||
| University of Rochester | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | USA | 46 | 49 | 45 | 44 | 48 | |
| | ||||||||||||
| OUTSIDE TOP 50 | ||||||||||||
| Arizona State University | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.2 | USA | not top 50 | |||||
| University of California, Davis | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.2 | USA | 46 | 42 | 42 | 44 | 36 | |
| Saint Louis University | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.1 | USA | not top 50 | 49 | ||||
| University at Buffalo | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.0 | USA | n/a | |||||
| University of California, Santa Cruz | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.0 | USA | n/a | |||||
| Vanderbilt University | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 1.7 | USA | n/a |
* A ranking only of the Philosophy faculty, not the HPS faculty.
Ranking of Faculties in the United Kingdom
| RANK | INSTITUTIONS | Mean | Median | Mode | Upper CI | Lower CI | Region | Rank in 2021 | Rank in 2017 | Rank in 2014 | Rank in 2011 | Rank in 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oxford University | 4.6 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.5 | UK | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Cambridge University | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.5 | UK | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | University of Edinburgh | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 3.3 | UK | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 12 |
| 4 | University of St. Andrews/Stirling Joint Program | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.3 | UK | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 5 | University College London | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.1 | UK | 6 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| 6 | King’s College, London | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.0 | UK | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| University of Leeds | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.0 | UK | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 12 | |
| 8 | London School of Economics | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.9 | UK | 8 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 8 |
| University of Bristol | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | UK | 8 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 12 | |
| 10 | University of Warwick | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.8 | UK | 8 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 9 |
| 11 | University of Glasgow | 2.8 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.7 | UK | 13 | not top 15 | not top 15 | ||
| 12 | University of Durham | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.6 | UK | 11 | 13 | n/a | ||
| 13 | University of Sheffield | 2.6 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.4 | UK | 15 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 7 |
| University of York | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.5 | UK | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | |
| 15 | University of Birmingham | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.4 | UK | 11 | 9 | 8 | not top 15 | not top 15 |
| | ||||||||||||
| OUTSIDE TOP 15 | ||||||||||||
| University of Nottingham | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.3 | UK | 15 | not top 15 | 13 | 9 | ||
| University of Manchester | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.1 | UK | 15 | 13 | not top 15 | |||
| University of Reading | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.0 | UK | not top 15 |
Ranking of Faculties in Canada
| RANK | INSTITUTIONS | Mean | Median | Mode | Upper CI | Lower CI | Region | Rank in 2021 | Rank in 2017 | Rank in 2014 | Rank in 2011 | Rank in 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Toronto | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.0 | Canada | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | University of British Columbia | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 2.9 | Canada | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 3 | McGill University | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.6 | Canada | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | University of Western Ontario | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.4 | Canada | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 5 | York University, Toronto | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.3 | Canada | 5 | not top 5 | |||
| OUTSIDE TOP 5 | ||||||||||||
| Queen’s University, Kingston | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.2 | Canada | ||||||
| University of Calgary | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.0 | Canada | 5 | 5 | not top 5 | not top 5 | ||
| University of Alberta | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.6 | Canada |
Ranking of Faculties in Australasia
| RANK | INSTITUTIONS | Mean | Median | Mode | Upper CI | Lower CI | Region | Rank in 2021 | Rank in 2017 | Rank in 2014 | Rank in 2011 | Rank in 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australian National University | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.5 | Australasia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | University of Sydney | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.1 | Australasia | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Monash University | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.4 | Australasia | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| National University of Singapore | 2.6 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.5 | Australasia | not top 5 | |||||
| 5 | University of Melbourne | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.4 | Australasia | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | not top 5 |
| OUTSIDE TOP 5 | ||||||||||||
| Victoria University, Wellington | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.6 | Australasia | not top 5 | |||||
| University of Auckland | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.4 | Australasia | not top 5 |
Ranking of the Top 50 Faculties in the English Speaking World
| WORLD RANK | INSTITUTIONS | Mean | Median | Mode | Upper CI | Lower CI | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.7 | USA |
| 2 | Oxford University | 4.6 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.5 | UK |
| 3 | Rutgers University, New Brunswick | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.5 | USA |
| 4 | Princeton University | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.3 | USA |
| 5 | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.1 | USA |
| Yale University | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.1 | USA | |
| 7 | University of California, Berkeley | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.0 | USA |
| University of Southern California | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.0 | USA | |
| University of Toronto | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.0 | Canada | |
| 10 | University of Pittsburgh | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | USA |
| University of Texas, Austin | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | USA | |
| 12 | Harvard University | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 | USA |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 | USA | |
| University of California, Los Angeles | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 | USA | |
| 15 | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.7 | USA |
| 16 | Cambridge University | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.5 | UK |
| Stanford University | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.6 | USA | |
| University of Notre Dame | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.6 | USA | |
| 19 | Australian National University | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.5 | Australasia |
| City University of New York Graduate Center | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.5 | USA | |
| Cornell University | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.5 | USA | |
| Johns Hopkins University | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.5 | USA | |
| University of California, San Diego | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.5 | USA | |
| University of Chicago | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.4 | USA | |
| 25 | Columbia University | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.5 | USA |
| University of California, Irvine | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | USA | |
| University of Edinburgh | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 3.3 | UK | |
| 28 | Brown University | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.3 | USA |
| University of St. Andrews/Stirling Joint Program | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.3 | UK | |
| 30 | University College London | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.1 | UK |
| University of Sydney | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.1 | Australasia | |
| University of Wisconsin, Madison | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.1 | USA | |
| 33 | King’s College, London | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.0 | UK |
| Ohio State University | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.0 | USA | |
| University of Leeds | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.0 | UK | |
| University of Pennsylvania | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.0 | USA | |
| 37 | London School of Economics | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.9 | UK |
| University of Arizona | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | |
| University of Bristol | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | UK | |
| University of British Columbia | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 2.9 | Canada | |
| University of California, Riverside | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | |
| University of Colorado, Boulder | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | |
| University of Massachusetts, Amherst | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | |
| Washington University, St. Louis | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | |
| 45 | Duke University | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 | USA |
| University of Maryland, College Park | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 | USA | |
| University of Virginia | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 | USA | |
| University of Warwick | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.8 | UK | |
| 49 | Carnegie Mellon University | 2.8 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.6 | USA |
| Georgetown University | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.7 | USA | |
| Northwestern University | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 | USA | |
| University of Connecticut, Storrs | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.6 | USA | |
| University of Glasgow | 2.8 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.7 | UK |
THE PHILOSOPHICAL GOURMET REPORT 2017-2018
Edited by: Berit Brogaard, University of Miami | Christopher A. Pynes, Western Illinois University
Founding Editor: Brian Leiter, University of Chicago
Advisory Board
The Rankings
Overall Rankings
What the Rankings Mean
Summary of Specialty Rankings
M.A. Programs in Philosophy
The Study Of Philosophy in Law Schools and Top Law Schools
Top Research Universities
Breakdown Of Programs By Specialties
Metaphysics & Epistemology
Philosophy of The Sciences And Mathematics
Theory of Value
History of Philosophy
Other
Previous Reports
Methods and Criteria
Description of the Report
“Analytic” and “Continental” Philosophy
Graduate Study
Applying To Graduate Schools
Deciding Between Admissions Offers: The Importance of Visiting/Talking With Current Students