Why Study Philosophy?

Preparation for a Variety of Careers

Philosophy majors develop important and widely marketable skills, like the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems. This means that getting a degree in philosophy provides excellent preparation for a variety of careers.

“Philosophy Prepared Me for a Career in Finance and Government

“Be Employable, Study Philosophy”

“Unlocking the Potential of Your Philosophy Degree”

“To Beat the Market, Hire a Philosopher”

“Philosophy and Careers”

 

Get Into Graduate School

Studying philosophy can also help you get into graduate school. Philosophy majors excel on standardized tests like the GRE, GMAT, and LSAT. They rank first among all majors on the verbal and the analytical section of the GRE. Philosophy majors also tend to do better than just about any other major on the LSAT. With a mean score of just over 157, they are second only to physics majors. When it comes to the GMAT, philosophy majors rank in the top five of all majors, and they consistently have higher scores than business majors (including management, finance, accounting, and marketing majors).

Value of Philosophy – Charts and Graphs

Philosophy Pays

Philosophy majors get high-paying jobs too. PayScale Inc.’s current list of the Best Undergrad College Degrees By Salary lists the starting and mid-career salaries (15.5 years after graduation) for fifty different majors. Philosophy ranks sixteenth on their list when it comes to mid-career median salaries. At $81,200, philosophy majors stand to make $9,100 more than business majors at this stage in their career!

Salary By Major (Wall Street Journal)

“I Think, Therefore I Earn”

 

Philosophy is Fascinating!

Probably the best reason to study philosophy is that it’s one of the most stimulating and interesting fields. Philosophers try to answer questions like the following. What is knowledge and how is it different from mere belief or opinion? What sorts of things are most valuable and how should I live my life? Does God exist? Do we really have free will? How should society be organized and what sort of system of government is best?